A urinary stone forms when minerals crystallize in the kidney and can lodge in the ureter, blocking urine flow and causing intense, colicky pain. It is one of the most common urological emergencies and can recur.
Sudden, severe flank pain that comes in waves — often with blood in the urine or nausea — is usually a kidney or ureteral stone. SU Urology confirms it with ultrasound and digital X-ray and, for suitable stones, breaks it up with ESWL (HNT-RIFLE) — no incision and no general anesthesia.
A urinary stone forms when minerals crystallize in the kidney and can lodge in the ureter, blocking urine flow and causing intense, colicky pain. It is one of the most common urological emergencies and can recur.
We diagnose the stone, locate and size it, and choose the least invasive effective treatment. Many stones can be cleared with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL), an outpatient procedure that fragments the stone with focused energy delivered from outside the body.
SU Urology runs the full work-up on site — no outside referral for imaging. Most patients get answers the same day.
We confirm the classic colic pattern and rule out other causes of acute flank pain.
Kidney–bladder ultrasound detects stones and any back-pressure (hydronephrosis) without radiation.
A fast, high-resolution X-ray locates and sizes radio-opaque stones to plan treatment.
Microscopic urine testing confirms blood and screens for infection that would change the plan.
Focused shock waves delivered by our HNT-RIFLE lithotripter fragment the stone into passable pieces — outpatient, without incision or general anesthesia.
For small stones, hydration, pain relief and medication to relax the ureter can help the stone pass on its own.
Once the stone is cleared we review fluid targets and diet, and test where helpful, to lower the chance of recurrence.
Large, complex or infected stones that need ureteroscopy or surgery are referred promptly with your imaging and records.
ESWL is performed on-site, so a stone can often be diagnosed and treated in the same clinic without admission. For foreign patients this avoids both a hospital stay and the uncertainty of arranging imaging elsewhere. Dr. Kim Jeong-man interprets the ultrasound and X-ray personally and explains the size, position and the realistic number of sessions before any treatment.
ESWL is non-invasive and done without general anesthesia; most patients tolerate it with light analgesia. There is no incision.
It depends on stone size, hardness and location — many stones clear in one to three sessions. We give an honest estimate after imaging.
Often yes. Because imaging and ESWL are in-house, diagnosis and a first session can frequently happen quickly. Severe or infected stones may need hospital care.
We tell you directly and arrange a referral for ureteroscopy or other surgery, with your records in English.