Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS) is a surgical procedure performed within the kidney using a viewing tube known as a fiberoptic endoscope.
In this procedure, the endoscope is placed via the urethra into the bladder and then passed through the ureter into the part of the kidney wherein the urine gets collected. In this way, the endoscope is moved up to the urinary tract system to a specific position within the kidney.
RIRS is generally performed to remove a stone or a small tumour. The stone can be directly visualized through the endoscope, and then fragmented using an ultrasound probe, evaporated with the help of a laser probe or grabbed using small forceps. It is typically performed under general or spinal anaesthesia.
Some of the major advantages of RIRS over other surgeries include access to all parts of the kidney that have stones, less pain and bleeding following the surgery, and faster recovery.
RIRS is recommended for patients who are suffering from kidney stones or in certain cases such as narrowing of the kidney outlet or related strictures and tumours.
RIRS is mainly used for treating certain difficult conditions such as:
