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Kidney stones · Help and support

Help with understanding your kidney stone appointment

Your urology team can explain your scan, the choices available and the next steps. Ask them to show you on the model where your stone is and what each treatment would involve.

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If you feel unwell during or after treatment, use the 24-hour number your hospital team gave you. Otherwise call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

Your urology team can explain your scan results, the choices available and the next steps. Keep the number for your urology ward or clinic somewhere easy to find, in case you have problems after treatment.

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Words you may hear

Renal colic
Sudden, severe pain in the side or back, often coming in waves, as a stone moves down the ureter.
CT KUB
A CT scan of the kidneys, ureters and bladder, used to find stones.
Hydronephrosis
Swelling of the inside of the kidney when urine cannot drain freely.
Ureter
The tube that carries urine from each kidney to the bladder.
VUJ
Where the ureter enters the bladder (vesico-ureteric junction).
ESWL
Shock-wave lithotripsy: breaking a stone up with shock waves from outside the body.
Ureteroscopy
Reaching a stone with a thin camera passed through the urethra and bladder, then breaking it up or taking it out.
PCNL
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy: removing a large kidney stone through a small cut in the back.
Stent
A thin, soft tube inside the ureter that helps urine drain from the kidney to the bladder.
Nephrostomy
A thin tube from the kidney through the skin of the back that drains urine into a bag.

Trusted information

The explorer is a simplified illustration for a conversation with your team. It cannot interpret your report, make a diagnosis or tell you which treatment is right.