Urology treatment in India
Urology covers the kidneys, ureters, bladder and prostate, and most of its common operations are done through the body's own passages or through small keyhole incisions rather than open surgery. That makes it one of the shortest and least expensive specialties to travel for, with indicative partner-hospital prices from $2,000 and stays measured in days.
- Commonly treated
- Kidney stones, enlarged prostate, blocked ureters, urological cancers
- Indicative cost
- Stone removal from $2,000; prostate surgery from $2,200
- Hospital stay
- 1 to 2 days for most endoscopic procedures
- Approach
- Mostly endoscopic or keyhole, so no external incision in many cases
- Time in India
- Often 1 to 2 weeks for stone or prostate work
- First step
- A urologist reviews your scans and reports on video, free
Kidney and ureteric stones
Stones are the commonest reason people travel to us for urology, and the good news is that they are usually treated without any external incision at all. Which technique is used depends on where the stone sits and how big it is.
- Ureteroscopy (URS). A fine telescope is passed up through the bladder to the stone, which is broken with a laser and removed. Used for stones in the ureter, the tube between kidney and bladder. Usually a one-day stay.
- PCNL. For larger stones inside the kidney itself, a narrow track is made through the skin of the back directly into the kidney and the stone is fragmented and removed. A two-day stay.
- A DJ stent. A soft tube left temporarily between kidney and bladder to keep urine draining while things settle. It is normal for this to be placed at the time of surgery.
The stent needs removing. If a DJ stent is placed, it must be taken out at the time your urologist specifies. A stent left in far too long can encrust and cause serious problems. Before you fly home, get the removal date in writing and confirm who will do it where you live, or arrange to have it removed in India before you leave. This is the single most common thing that goes wrong after otherwise straightforward stone surgery abroad.
Ask two further questions: what was the stone made of, since sending it for analysis guides how you prevent the next one, and what should I change to stop them recurring? Stone disease comes back in a large proportion of people, and the advice on fluid intake and diet is worth as much as the operation.
Enlarged prostate
An enlarging prostate obstructs the flow of urine, which causes a weak stream, getting up repeatedly at night, and eventually the inability to pass urine at all. Medication helps many men for years. Surgery is for when it stops working, when the bladder is not emptying, or when obstruction has begun to affect the kidneys.
- TURP. The long-established operation. Obstructing prostate tissue is removed through the urethra using a telescope, with no external incision. An indicative $2,200 with a two-day stay.
- HoLEP. A laser technique that enucleates the obstructing tissue, generally suiting larger prostates and often with less bleeding. An indicative $3,500 with a two-day stay.
Both are for benign enlargement, which is not cancer. If your PSA is raised or a scan is suspicious, that is a different question and needs answering before any operation for obstruction. See prostate cancer treatment.
What urology costs in India
| Procedure | Indicative cost | Hospital stay |
|---|---|---|
| Ureteroscopy and DJ stenting (ureteric stone) | $2,000 | 1 day |
| PCNL and DJ stenting (kidney stone) | $2,000 | 2 days |
| Cystoscopy and TURP (prostate) | $2,200 | 2 days |
| TURP with HoLEP laser | $3,500 | 2 days |
| Pyeloplasty with DJ stenting, laparoscopic / robotic | $4,000 / $5,700 | 4 days |
| Ureterocalycostomy | $10,500 | 6 days |
| Penile implant | $12,000 | 3 days |
| Nephrectomy, open / robotic | $4,000 / $6,000 | 3 days |
| Radical prostatectomy, open / robotic | $7,000 / $9,000–10,000 | 4–7 days |
| Radical cystectomy with ileal conduit, robotic | $8,500–9,000 | 5 days |
Blocked drainage from the kidney
Where the junction between the kidney and the ureter is narrowed, urine backs up and the kidney swells, which over time damages it even when the pain is intermittent. Pyeloplasty reconstructs that junction, and it is done laparoscopically at an indicative $4,000 or robotically at $5,700, with a four-day stay.
This is one of the few places on this site where the robotic option has a specific practical argument behind it rather than a marketing one: pyeloplasty involves fine suturing in a confined space, which is what the robot's wristed instruments are genuinely good at. Whether that difference is worth the extra to you is a fair question to put to the surgeon, and the answer should reference your anatomy rather than the technology.
Urological cancers
Cancers of the prostate, kidney and bladder are treated by the same urological teams, often with robotic surgery, and they are covered in more detail in the cancer section of the site. See prostate cancer, and for a radiation-based alternative that avoids surgery altogether in suitable cases, CyberKnife for prostate cancer.
Time in India
Urology is the specialty where a short trip is genuinely realistic. Stone surgery and prostate surgery commonly mean one to two days in hospital and one to two weeks in India in total, allowing for tests beforehand and a check before you fly. Reconstructive and cancer surgery take longer. Ask specifically about the stent removal date when you plan the return flight, because that one detail decides whether you need a second trip.
Where it is done
Urology needs endoscopic and laser equipment, imaging, and for cancer and reconstructive work a robotic platform and a surgeon who uses it regularly. Our partner network includes accredited multi-speciality hospitals with dedicated urology units. See our partner hospitals.
Questions patients ask
How much does kidney stone removal cost in India?
The indicative partner-hospital price is $2,000 for either ureteroscopy with a DJ stent or PCNL with a stent, with a stay of one to two days. Pre-operative investigations, flights, visa and accommodation sit outside the package, and removal of the stent afterwards is a separate step to plan for.
Is kidney stone surgery done without cutting?
Usually. Ureteroscopy passes a fine telescope up through the bladder with no incision at all. PCNL uses a narrow track through the skin of the back rather than open surgery. Which is used depends on the size and position of the stone, and your CT scan decides that.
What happens to the stent afterwards?
A DJ stent is temporary and must be removed at the time your urologist specifies. Left in far too long it can encrust and cause serious problems. Get the removal date in writing, and either arrange removal in India before you fly or confirm who will do it at home before you leave.
How much does prostate surgery cost in India?
For benign enlargement, an indicative $2,200 for TURP and $3,500 for HoLEP laser surgery, both with a two-day stay and no external incision. Prostate cancer surgery is different, at an indicative $7,000 open or $9,000 to $10,000 robotic.
What is the difference between TURP and HoLEP?
Both remove obstructing prostate tissue through the urethra without an external incision. HoLEP uses a laser to enucleate the tissue and generally suits larger prostates, often with less bleeding, at $3,500 against $2,200. Your prostate size and general health guide the choice.
How long will I be in India?
For stone or prostate surgery, often one to two weeks in total, including tests beforehand and a check before flying. Reconstructive surgery such as pyeloplasty and cancer surgery take longer. Plan the return flight around your stent removal if you have one.
Will my stones come back?
Stone disease recurs in a substantial proportion of people, which is why the analysis of the stone and the prevention advice matter as much as the operation. Ask for the stone to be analysed, and ask specifically what you should change about fluid intake and diet based on its composition.