Concierge urology · London
Private lithotripsy in London, by a consultant urologist.
Stone fragmentation done properly — extracorporeal shockwave, ureteroscopic laser or PCNL — chosen for your stone, not for the clinic’s calendar.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A consultant urologist, in theatre
Not a walk-in stone clinic and not a training room. A named urologist, a proper theatre, and the anaesthetic that suits you.
- 02
ESWL, laser or PCNL — the right one
For some stones shockwave is enough. For others a ureteroscopic laser is faster and cleaner. We say which — before you commit.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private lithotripsy costs in London.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
ESWL in our network: £2,000–£4,000, home the same day. Laser lithotripsy: £4,000–£8,000.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) | £2,000–£4,000 | 30–60 min | Same day |
| Ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy (Ho:YAG / thulium) | £4,000–£8,000 | 45–90 min | Same day / 1 night |
| Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) — stones >2cm | £8,000–£14,000 | 2–3 hours | 1–2 nights |
| JJ stent insertion (obstruction / pre-treatment) | £1,800–£3,500 | 30 min GA | Same day |
| JJ stent removal (flexible cystoscopy) | £600–£1,200 | 15 min LA | Same visit |
| CT KUB + urology consultation | £450–£850 | 45 min | Same day report |
Prices vary by clinic, by which urologist does the case, by stone size and location, by whether a JJ stent is placed, and by whether a second session is needed. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
The right technique, for the right stone.
Stone treatment is quietly one of the most technique-dependent decisions in urology. The wrong choice means a failed session, a second procedure and a preventable stent. We fix that before you commit.
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Not sure it needs treating?
Some small distal ureteric stones will pass with tamsulosin and time. We say so before booking a theatre slot.
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Told ESWL, but stone is dense?
A CT KUB Hounsfield >1000 predicts poor ESWL. Laser lithotripsy is usually the honest first choice.
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Want it done properly?
A named consultant urologist, ESWL and laser both available, and a stent removal booked before you leave.
The journey
From enquiry to recovery — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to review — including the stent removal and the metabolic workup.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
A few hours at the clinic
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Symptoms, imaging so far, stone size and location if known, any infection or previous stones.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: ESWL, ureteroscopic laser or PCNL, the right anaesthetic, an indicative price. If a period of watchful waiting is safer, we say so.
- 03
Before
We arrange the appointment
Usually within one to two weeks. A CT KUB is booked if needed, any urine infection is treated first, and blood-thinners are reviewed with the team.
- 04
On the day
Arrival at the clinic
Arrival, consent and a chat with the urologist and anaesthetist. LA with light sedation for ESWL, GA for ureteroscopic laser.
- 05
On the day
The procedure itself
30–60 minutes for ESWL, 45–90 minutes for laser lithotripsy. Fluoroscopic or ureteroscopic targeting, fragmentation, and a JJ stent for laser cases.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day
A short recovery, written aftercare, and home within a few hours. A stone strainer for ESWL fragments; stent care instructions for laser cases.
- 07
After
Recovery and review
ESWL fragments pass over days to weeks. A laser stent comes out at 1–2 weeks. Imaging confirms clearance and a metabolic workup follows for recurrent stone-formers.
Typical end-to-end: 1–2 weeks from enquiry to procedure. Stent out: 1–2 weeks after laser.
When it helps
When lithotripsy is the right step.
The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means an emergency rather than an appointment.
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Renal stone <2cm
A stone in the kidney pelvis or calyx, radio-opaque and favourably placed — ESWL first, laser if it fails.
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Ureteric stone (upper / mid / lower)
A stone lodged in the ureter causing pain or obstruction — ureteroscopic laser is usually the definitive answer.
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Radiolucent stone (uric acid)
Invisible on X-ray, poorly fragmented by ESWL — laser lithotripsy under direct vision, plus urinary alkalisation.
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Hard stone (Hounsfield >1000)
A dense stone on CT — ESWL success drops sharply, so laser is preferred from the outset.
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Recurrent stone-former
A second or third episode — treatment plus a 24-hour urine metabolic workup and serum PTH to reduce recurrence.
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Large stone >2cm / staghorn
Too large for ESWL or ureteroscopy alone — PCNL, sometimes with staged laser, gives the best clearance.
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Failed ESWL
Fragments not passing, steinstrasse, or incomplete fragmentation — ureteroscopic laser is the usual next step.
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Red flag: obstructed infected stone
Fever, rigors and flank pain with an obstructing stone is urosepsis — same-day A&E for stent or nephrostomy, not a clinic booking.
Procedure options
ESWL, laser or PCNL — chosen for the stone.
What each option actually involves — and which fits which stone. Stone type, density and location decide, not the calendar.
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ESWL — extracorporeal shockwave
Focused shock waves generated outside the body (electrohydraulic, piezoelectric or electromagnetic) fragment the stone. LA with light sedation, day case, 2000–3000 shocks over 30–60 minutes.
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Ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy
A thin ureteroscope is passed to the stone under GA, a Ho:YAG or thulium fibre laser fragments it to dust, and a basket extracts fragments. A JJ stent stays in for 1–2 weeks.
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PCNL — percutaneous nephrolithotomy
For stones larger than 2cm or staghorn calculi: a small tract through the flank into the kidney, direct fragmentation and extraction. 1–2 night stay.
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JJ stent insertion
A soft stent from kidney to bladder — used to relieve obstruction, cover infection, or pre-stent a ureter before laser lithotripsy.
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Flexible cystoscopy stent removal
A quick outpatient procedure under LA to remove a JJ stent once the stone is clear and the ureter has recovered.
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Metabolic stone workup
24-hour urine collection, serum calcium and parathyroid hormone — recommended after a second episode per BAUS to reduce recurrence.
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Medical expulsive therapy
For small, distal ureteric stones an alpha-blocker (tamsulosin) with hydration and analgesia can allow spontaneous passage — the honest first line for the right stone.
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Consultation only
An honest discussion of whether treatment is needed at all, and which technique fits — no obligation.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of stone urologists, we picked them.
Consultant urologists across central, north, west and south London — with both ESWL and laser lithotripsy in-house. Not listed publicly; introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every urologist in our network.
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Consultant urologists with a stone-disease subspecialty, not trainees
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ESWL, ureteroscopic laser and PCNL all offered in one network
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CT KUB reporting by a consultant uroradiologist within 24 hours
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Follow-up imaging and metabolic workup arranged after treatment
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards — honestly.
Lithotripsy is a common, safe day-case treatment. The things worth planning are treating any infection first, knowing what stent life feels like, and understanding what is normal after.
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A urine culture is done first
Treating an infected stone without antibiotics risks urosepsis. We insist on a negative or treated culture before ESWL or laser lithotripsy.
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ESWL: bruising and blood in the urine
Some flank bruising and pink urine for 24–48 hours is normal. Significant perirenal bleeding is rare and usually subclinical.
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Fragments pass over days to weeks
After ESWL the fragments queue down the ureter — a stone strainer catches them for analysis, and mild flank pain is expected as they move.
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Steinstrasse (a "street of stones")
Fragments occasionally line up in the ureter and block it. A JJ stent and, if needed, a ureteroscopic clean-up sorts it.
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Laser cases: a stent for 1–2 weeks
A JJ stent is standard after ureteroscopic laser. It causes some bladder irritation and urgency while in situ — normal, and it comes out at a quick outpatient visit.
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Ureteric injury is uncommon
Perforation or a small tear occurs in around 1–2% of ureteroscopic cases — usually managed by leaving the stent in for longer.
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Repeat treatment may be needed
ESWL clears the stone in 60–80% of cases at one session; laser clears >90%. A second session, or a switch of technique, is sometimes needed.
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Recurrent stones deserve a workup
A second stone episode warrants a 24-hour urine collection and serum PTH per BAUS. It is the single best step to prevent the next one.
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Red flags
Fever, rigors, uncontrolled pain, or no urine output after treatment are not normal — call the clinic or A&E the same day.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever technique was used, the note the urologist sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Stone burden and technique chosen
Which stones were treated, their size and location, and whether ESWL, ureteroscopic laser or PCNL was used.
- 02 Technique
Anaesthetic, energy delivered, stent
Number of shocks and energy for ESWL; laser type and settings for ureteroscopy; whether a JJ stent was placed and its planned removal date.
- 03 Findings
Fragmentation, clearance, complications
How well the stone fragmented, whether basket extraction was needed, and any complications such as bleeding or ureteric injury.
- 04 Impression
Follow-up imaging and metabolic plan
Read this first: when to have follow-up imaging, when the stent comes out, and whether a 24-hour urine metabolic workup is booked.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for lithotripsy varies by insurer — usually funded when medically indicated with a symptomatic stone. We confirm cover, excess and any authorisation before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about lithotripsy.
Quick answers on ESWL versus laser, pain, cost, stents, and when to head to A&E instead.
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What is lithotripsy?
Any procedure that breaks a kidney or ureteric stone into fragments small enough to pass or be extracted. In practice it means either extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) — shock waves focused through the skin — or intracorporeal laser lithotripsy during a ureteroscopy, using a Ho:YAG or thulium fibre laser.
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ESWL or laser — which will I need?
It depends on the stone. ESWL suits a favourable renal or upper-ureteric stone under 2cm that is radio-opaque, in a slim patient, with no infection or obstruction downstream. Laser suits ureteric stones, radiolucent stones, dense stones (Hounsfield >1000), failed ESWL, complex anatomy, or larger stones. Laser is increasingly first-line.
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Does lithotripsy hurt?
ESWL is done under light sedation and simple analgesia — most patients describe it as thumping or bruising rather than pain. Laser lithotripsy is done under general anaesthetic, so nothing is felt during the procedure. Afterwards there is mild flank ache as fragments pass, and stent-related bladder irritation for laser cases.
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How much does private lithotripsy cost in London?
Roughly £2,000–£4,000 for ESWL, £4,000–£8,000 for ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy, and £8,000–£14,000 for PCNL for larger stones. A JJ stent insertion is £1,800–£3,500; removal is £600–£1,200. We confirm a firm figure within one working day.
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How successful is ESWL?
Around 60–80% of favourable stones are cleared in a single session, with some patients needing a second session or a switch to ureteroscopic laser. Success is lower for stones larger than 1cm, dense stones (Hounsfield >1000), lower-pole renal stones and obese patients — laser is often the better first choice in those groups.
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Will I need a JJ stent?
Almost always after ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy, for one to two weeks. Sometimes before ESWL if the ureter is obstructed. Not routinely after uncomplicated ESWL. The stent causes some bladder irritation and urgency while in situ — normal, and worth it for a safe recovery.
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What are the risks?
For ESWL: transient bleeding, perirenal haematoma (rare and usually subclinical), fragments queuing in the ureter (steinstrasse), infection if a UTI was not treated first, and incomplete fragmentation. For laser: bleeding, infection or sepsis, a small risk of ureteric injury (1–2%), stent discomfort, and rarely long-term ureteric stricture.
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When should I go to A&E rather than book a clinic?
Fever, rigors, uncontrolled flank pain, or no urine output — these suggest an obstructed infected stone, which is urosepsis until proven otherwise. Same-day A&E for a decompressing stent or nephrostomy, not a routine appointment.
Related tests
Looking for something else?
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Kidney embolisation
Interventional radiology for renal bleeding or tumour.
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Laparoscopic nephrectomy
Keyhole kidney removal for tumour or non-function.
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CT KUB
The gold-standard stone-hunting CT — no contrast needed.
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All tests
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more