Ureteroscopy
Encyclopedia
Ureteroscopy is an examination of the upper urinary tract, usually performed with an endoscope that is passed through the urethra
, bladder
, and then directly into the ureter
. The procedure is useful in the diagnosis and the treatment of disorders such as kidney stone
s.
The examination may be performed with either a flexible or a rigid fiberoptic
device while the patient is under a general anesthetic. The patient is usually free to go home after the examination.
In pyeloscopy, the endoscope is designed to reach all the way to the renal pelvis
(also called pyelum), thereby allowing visualisation of the entire drainage system of the kidney. The endoscope can contain an instrument port which allows for introduction of laser fibres to fragment stones, and micro-baskets to retrieve stone fragments. Kidney stones up to 2 cm in size can be treated by pyeloscopy.
Urethra
In anatomy, the urethra is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the genitals for the removal of fluids out of the body. In males, the urethra travels through the penis, and carries semen as well as urine...
, bladder
Urinary bladder
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow muscular, and distensible organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor...
, and then directly into the ureter
Ureter
In human anatomy, the ureters are muscular tubes that propel urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. In the adult, the ureters are usually long and ~3-4 mm in diameter....
. The procedure is useful in the diagnosis and the treatment of disorders such as kidney stone
Kidney stone
A kidney stone, also known as a renal calculus is a solid concretion or crystal aggregation formed in the kidneys from dietary minerals in the urine...
s.
The examination may be performed with either a flexible or a rigid fiberoptic
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
device while the patient is under a general anesthetic. The patient is usually free to go home after the examination.
In pyeloscopy, the endoscope is designed to reach all the way to the renal pelvis
Renal pelvis
The renal pelvis or pyelum is the funnel-like dilated proximal part of the ureter in the kidney.In humans, the renal pelvis is the point of convergence of two or three major calyces...
(also called pyelum), thereby allowing visualisation of the entire drainage system of the kidney. The endoscope can contain an instrument port which allows for introduction of laser fibres to fragment stones, and micro-baskets to retrieve stone fragments. Kidney stones up to 2 cm in size can be treated by pyeloscopy.