Laser RIRS
Flexible ureteroscopy: a scope passes up into the kidney and a holmium or thulium laser turns the stone to dust.
Endourology · Kidney Stones
Without a single incision, kidney stone treatment in Turkey clears most stones in one night
Laser RIRS, ureteroscopy, mini PCNL and shock wave lithotripsy, planned from your CT to European Association of Urology standards by Assoc. Prof. Tuncay Taş in Istanbul, with an all inclusive written quote.
Medically reviewed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuncay Taş
1 night
Hospital stay, laser RIRS
4 to 5
Days in Istanbul
60+
Countries served
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A clear starting point
What are kidney stones?
Kidney stones are mineral deposits that crystallise in concentrated urine, most often calcium oxalate. A stone resting in the kidney may cause nothing at all; once it moves into the narrow ureter it blocks urine flow and causes renal colic, one of the most intense pains in medicine.
Almost every stone can now be treated without open surgery; the skill is choosing the right method first time.
The evidence behind this page
What the published data actually shows
Each figure is from a named source.
About one adult in eleven has had a kidney stone at some point in their life.
14.8 per cent of adults in Turkey, part of the global stone belt, have had a stone.
Around 68 per cent of ureteric stones up to 5 mm pass alone, and 47 per cent at 5 to 10 mm.
Without prevention, about half of stone formers form another within ten years.
Symptoms and causes
How a kidney stone shows itself, and why it forms
Pain comes from blockage, not size.
Common symptoms
- Sudden, severe side or back pain spreading to the groin
- Blood in the urine; a bladder or kidney tumour must also be ruled out
- Nausea and an urgent need to pass urine
- Fever with stone pain. This may mean an infected, blocked kidney and needs care the same day.
What raises the risk
- Low fluid intake and hot climates. Concentrated urine underlies almost every stone.
- Diet. High salt and animal protein intake.
- Metabolic conditions. Obesity, diabetes, gout and high urinary calcium.
- Family history. A parent with stones.
How kidney stones are diagnosed
Your diagnostic pathway
One good scan answers nearly every planning question.
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01
Low dose non contrast CT
The standard EAU test, showing each stone's size, position and hardness.
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02
Urine and blood tests
Urine culture rules out infection; blood tests check kidney function.
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03
Stone and metabolic tests
Fragments are analysed; recurrent formers have a 24 hour urine test.
A full range of treatments
Kidney stone treatment options
Every modern option, chosen to suit your stone.
Laser ureteroscopy
A slim scope reaches a stone stuck in the ureter and laser lithotripsy breaks it up, often as a day case.
Mini PCNL
Through a tunnel under 1 cm wide in the back, the stone is broken and suctioned out.
Shock wave lithotripsy, ESWL
Shock waves from outside the body crack the stone; more than one session may be needed.
Medical expulsive therapy
An alpha blocker tablet relaxes the ureter to help a small stone pass on its own, with no procedure.
Which treatment fits your stone
A decision guide by stone size and position
The usual first choice under EAU guidance; your CT decides.
| Stone | Size | Usual first choiceEAU guideline based | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|
| UreterStuck on the way down | Under 10 mm | Medical expulsive therapy, then ureteroscopy if it does not pass | Shock wave lithotripsy |
| UreterStuck on the way down | Over 10 mm | Ureteroscopy with laser | Shock waves, upper ureter |
| KidneyUpper or middle calyx, pelvis | Under 20 mm | Laser RIRS or shock wave lithotripsy | Mini PCNL for hard stones |
| KidneyLower pole | 10 to 20 mm | Laser RIRS or mini PCNL | Shock waves, favourable anatomy |
| KidneyLarge or staghorn | Over 20 mm | Mini PCNL | Laser RIRS in two sessions |
Stones above about 1,000 Hounsfield units resist shock waves. Or try the treatment finder below.
Try it yourself
Which treatment fits my stone?
Three quick questions for your likely treatment, stay and price.
Question 1 of 3
Where is your stone?
How big is it?
Do you have a fever or shivering with the pain?
Seek medical care today. Fever with stone pain can mean an infected, blocked kidney. It is drained first; the stone is treated once the infection clears.
- Hospital stay
- Time in Istanbul
- Back to desk work
Typical price in Istanbul, hospital stay included
A guide based on European Association of Urology guidance, not a diagnosis. Your plan is made from your own CT.
A closer look
Anaesthesia, hospital stay and recovery compared
Typical, uncomplicated case.
| Treatment | Anaesthesia | Hospital stay | Stent | Back to desk workTypical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser RIRSFlexible ureteroscopy | General or spinal | Day case or 1 night | Often, 1 to 2 weeks | 2 to 3 days |
| UreteroscopySemi rigid, ureteric stones | General or spinal | Day case or 1 night | Sometimes, up to 1 week | 1 to 3 days |
| Mini PCNLLarge and staghorn stones | General | 1 to 2 nights | Sometimes; often tubeless | 7 to 10 days |
| Shock wave lithotripsyOutside the body | Pain relief or light sedation | None | Rarely | 1 to 2 days |
Avoid heavy lifting for one week after RIRS or ureteroscopy, four after mini PCNL.
Planning your trip
Your stay in Istanbul, day by day
Four to five days for RIRS or ureteroscopy; mini PCNL adds one to two.
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01
Before you travel
Send your CT online for a treatment plan and an all inclusive written quote.
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02
Day 1: arrival
Airport transfer to your hotel, then your consultation and tests.
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03
Day 2: your procedure
The treatment takes 30 to 90 minutes, usually with one night in hospital.
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04
Day 3: hotel rest
Rest at your hotel with simple painkillers and plenty of fluid to drink.
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05
Day 4: light walking
Short walks around Istanbul are fine; avoid heavy lifting and keep drinking.
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06
Day 5: fit to fly
A final check and a discharge letter stating when any stent must come out.
You can fly with a stent once you pass urine normally, have no fever and your pain is controlled.
After the stone is gone
Preventing the next kidney stone
Knowing why a stone formed stops the next one.
For every stone former
- Fluid. At least 2.5 litres of urine a day, per EAU guidance.
- Salt. Keep it low; it pulls calcium into urine.
- Calcium. Do not cut it out; dietary calcium binds oxalate in the gut.
- Protein and weight. Moderate meat intake and a healthy weight.
Targeted to your stone type
- Calcium oxalate. Fewer high oxalate foods; potassium citrate if citrate is low.
- Uric acid. Alkalinising the urine can dissolve these stones without surgery.
- Infection stones. Every fragment removed, infection treated.
- Cystine stones. A specialist metabolic plan.
You leave with your stone analysis and a written prevention plan.
Transparent pricing
Kidney stone treatment cost in Turkey
Typical self pay prices in US dollars, including the hospital stay.
| Treatment | TurkeyIstanbul, with Dr. Tuncay Taş | United States | United Kingdom | Europe | Gulf countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser RIRSKidney stones, incl. 1 night and stent | $2,500 to $5,500 | $8,000 to $20,000 | $5,000 to $9,000 | $5,000 to $11,000 | $4,000 to $8,000 |
| Ureteroscopy with laserUreteric stones, incl. stent if needed | $1,800 to $3,500 | $6,000 to $12,500 | $3,500 to $7,000 | $4,000 to $8,000 | $2,500 to $6,000 |
| Mini PCNLLarge or staghorn stones, incl. 1 to 2 nights | $3,000 to $7,000 | $15,000 to $35,000 | $7,500 to $12,000 | $6,000 to $14,000 | $4,000 to $12,000 |
| Shock wave lithotripsyPer session, outpatient | $1,200 to $2,000 | $4,000 to $9,000 | $2,500 to $4,500 | $3,000 to $5,500 | $2,000 to $4,000 |
Approximate ranges from published price guides, October 2026. Your written quote covers tests, surgery, all fees, laser fibre and stent, hospital stay and stone analysis, with accommodation and transfers arranged. Related care: kidney cancer treatment, bladder cancer treatment, prostate cancer treatment, or send your CT for a written opinion.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Which kidney stone treatment is right for me?
It depends on stone size and position: laser RIRS or shock waves under 2 centimetres, mini PCNL above that, and ureteroscopy for ureteric stones.
Can a kidney stone pass on its own?
Often, if it is small. Around 68 per cent of ureteric stones up to 5 millimetres pass spontaneously, according to the joint EAU and AUA guideline.
How much does kidney stone treatment cost in Turkey?
Typically 2,500 to 5,500 US dollars for laser RIRS, including the hospital stay, against 8,000 to 20,000 dollars in the United States.
What if my stone is causing a fever?
A blocked, infected kidney is an emergency. EAU guidance is to drain the kidney first and treat the stone once the infection clears.
Will my kidney stones come back?
Without prevention, about half of patients form another within ten years. Stone analysis shows the cause, so prevention can be tailored.
References
Sources used on this page
- European Association of Urology. Guidelines on Urolithiasis.
- American Urological Association. Surgical Management of Stones.
- Preminger G M et al. Guideline for the Management of Ureteral Calculi, 2007.
- Scales C D et al. Prevalence of Kidney Stones in the United States. European Urology, 2012.
- Muslumanoglu A Y et al. Epidemiology of urolithiasis in Turkey. Urological Research, 2011.
- European Association of Urology. Guidelines on Urological Infections.
- Published private hospital and medical travel price guides, 2025 to 2026.
Reviewed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuncay Taş for general information; it does not replace a consultation.