Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Endourology- Clinical Update

Flexible Ureterorenoscopy (FURS) is a preferred treatment for small stones within the kidney using a very thin flexible telescope that can be passed up from the female urethra or end of penis in a man, into the bladder and up the ureter (tube connecting the kidney to the bladder. With advancement in technology, improvement in endoscope and ancillary equipment, more complex procedures can be performed using flexible ureterorenoscopy. Advanced laparoscopic surgery involves surgery that is minimally invasive, using advanced surgical technologies to assist in surgery, providing the most desired patient outcome. Urology events minimally Invasive Surgery uses surgical techniques that only require 3-4 small ½” incisions, decreases blood loss, and encourages a shorter length of stay as well as a quicker patient recovery time.  Many of our staff surgeons are involved in the use of advanced laparoscopic surgical procedures. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) uses shock waves to break a kidney stone into small pieces that can more easily travel through the urinary tract and pass from the body. ESWL is usually an outpatient procedure.