Kidney stone treatment in Medellín
Stones in the kidney and the ureter, according to their size and location
Most small stones pass on their own; the rest are treated with shock waves, laser ureteroscopy or percutaneous surgery. MDE Care is not a clinic: we coordinate the assessment with the urologist, the tests, the procedure and your stay in Medellín.
Support
from diagnosis to prevention
Which treatment is usually recommended for your stone?
With the size and location shown on your ultrasound or CT scan, and a few health questions, we show you the technique usually considered under the European guideline and whether a metabolic evaluation is advisable for you.
1. Are you a woman or a man?
2. Do you have flank pain with fever or chills?
3. Where is the stone according to your ultrasound or CT scan?
4. Size of the largest stone
5. Do you take anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs, such as warfarin, rivaroxaban or clopidogrel?
6. Is this your first stone?
Your guidance
Answers missing
Answer the questions to see your guidance.
* Guidance based on the urolithiasis guideline of the European Association of Urology (EAU) and on MedlinePlus. It does not replace the assessment by the urologist. Flank pain with fever, or being unable to urinate, requires emergency care.
How much does kidney stone treatment cost in Medellín?
Choose the treatment, the tests you do not have yet and your stay if you are coming from another city. We will show you the price of each part and the estimated total.
Treatment
Before treatment
Select what you do not have yet.
After treatment
Stay in Medellín
If you are coming from another city or country.
Estimated total
Ureteroscopy and your selection
From COP 8,000,000
"From" reference price; the final price depends on the size of the stone, the technique and the facility.
Request an assessment* Estimated market prices in Medellín; procedures are shown with their "from" reference price and are confirmed in the formal quote, which details fees, anesthesia, operating room and hospital stay. The stay corresponds to the partner recovery house, standard room.
How likely is the stone to pass on its own?
Move the slider to the size of your stone in the ureter. We show you the probability of spontaneous passage and the average time reported by published studies.
Spontaneous passage
About 68%
For stones up to 5 mm, according to the meta-analysis of the EAU and AUA guideline.
Average time
22 days
Average time to passage for stones of 4 to 6 mm.
What is usually recommended
Medical management and follow-up
Pain relievers, fluids and a follow-up image.
Averages from published studies (EAU and AUA ureteral stones guideline, 2007; Miller and Kane, 1999), not a promise. Fever, pain that does not subside or a single kidney change the approach: consult the urologist.
What are kidney stones?
Kidney stones are solid formations that originate in the kidney from substances in the urine. They can stay in the kidney or move down into the ureter and the bladder. When they block the flow of urine they cause renal colic, an intense pain in the side or back that may spread toward the groin.
They are not the same as gallbladder stones, which are treated with gallbladder surgery: they are different organs, with different symptoms and different surgeries.
Common symptoms
- Intense pain in the side or back, which may come and go
- Pain radiating to the lower abdomen or the groin
- Blood in the urine, visible or detected in a test
- Nausea and vomiting
- Frequent urge to urinate or burning when urinating
Fever or chills with the pain, or being unable to urinate, require emergency care.
The four ways to treat a stone
The technique is chosen according to the size, location and density of the stone and your health. Laser ureteroscopy is the technique of choice in most cases; prices are market references in Medellín.
Medical management and stone passage
Reference price
From COP 250,000 (US$63)
Stone size
Ureter, up to 10 mm
No procedure
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy
Reference price
From COP 4,500,000 (US$1,125)
Stone size
Up to 20 mm, low density
Outpatient
Laser ureteroscopy
Reference price
From COP 8,000,000 (US$2,000)
Stone size
Ureter of any size and kidney up to 20 mm
Same day or one night
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy
Reference price
From COP 14,000,000 (US$3,500)
Stone size
Kidney, larger than 20 mm or staghorn
1 to 3 days
Metabolic evaluation for kidney stones
It looks for the reason your stones form in order to recommend specific prevention. As a market reference in Medellín, it starts at COP 600,000 (US$150).
20% to 67%
Of people form another stone within 5 to 10 years after the first one
According to the American Urological Association guideline on the medical management of kidney stones (AUA, 2026). That is why prevention matters as much as treatment.
Stone analysis
Determines what the stone is made of: calcium oxalate or phosphate, uric acid, struvite or cystine. It is recommended for every first stone, which is why it is advisable to keep the one you pass or the one that is removed.
Blood and 24-hour urine
Measures kidney function and blood calcium and uric acid, and in the 24-hour urine the volume, calcium, oxalate, citrate, uric acid and sodium.
Who it is recommended for
People who have had several stones and people with a first stone and risk factors: onset at a young age, family history, a single kidney, uric acid, infection or cystine stones, or intestinal diseases.
How to keep stones from coming back
General measures from the European guideline; the metabolic evaluation adapts them to your type of stone.
Enough fluids
2.5 to 3 liters a day, spread throughout the day, to pass 2 to 2.5 liters of clear urine.
Moderate salt
4 to 5 grams of salt a day; excess salt increases calcium in the urine.
Animal protein in moderation
About 0.8 to 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day, with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Do not cut out calcium
Normal dietary calcium, 1,000 to 1,200 mg a day, protects against oxalate stones.
Your kidney stone treatment in Medellín, step by step
The urologist decides how many days you should stay in Medellín, according to the technique and whether a stent is left. We coordinate the schedule so that tests, procedure and follow-up fit into as few days as possible.
Step 1
Contact by WhatsApp
You send us your ultrasound or CT scan and tell us about your symptoms.
Step 2
Case review
The urologist reviews your images and proposes the technique usually recommended.
Step 3
Pending tests
CT KUB, urinalysis and creatinine, if you do not have them yet; they can be done on arrival.
Step 4
Formal quote
With the details of what it includes, in Colombian pesos or US dollars.
Step 5
Treatment and first days
With the option of a recovery house: COP 759,900 (about US$190) per night in a standard room.
Step 6
Follow-up and return
Follow-up imaging and, if a stent was left, its removal before you travel.
What MDE Care does for you
We are neither a clinic nor a directory. We support you from your first question to the results consultation.
Initial guidance
We review your medical order or the reason for your visit before booking.
The right specialist
We connect you with the urologist who performs the procedure you need.
Clear prices
You know the price and what it includes before booking.
Appointments and tests
We coordinate the schedule, the preparation and the timing of each step.
Logistics support
Lodging and transportation if you are coming from another city or country.
Follow-up
We coordinate the results consultation and follow-up visits.
About kidney stones
How much does kidney stone treatment cost in Medellín?
Do all kidney stones need surgery?
Which test detects kidney stones and how much does it cost?
Are they the same as gallbladder stones?
Can kidney stones come back?
What is a metabolic evaluation and who needs it?
When should I go to the emergency room?
Other urology pages
Request your kidney stone assessment
Send us your ultrasound or CT scan. We will tell you the treatment usually considered in your case and the price before you travel.