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 stones.
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.