article_snippet: ten patients with kidney stones and ten with cancer cost £123 —
article_snippet: us started a keyhole procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy by passing a camera — a cystoscope — through the urethra and up into the bladder.
article_snippet: Then us punctured the kidney with a fine needle, which helped create a tract, or tunnel, for us to access the kidney.
article_snippet: Then, using ultrasound energy pumped through a tiny probe, us broke a kidney stone into fragments, before sucking them out using a pump inserted through the small puncture in the back.
article_snippet: Typical risks of a keyhole procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy include excess bleeding, as well as injuring the structures surrounding the kidney, but having a model helps minimise risks.
article_snippet: ’ keyhole surgery costs between £10,000 and £12,000 privately, and is a similar cost to the NHS.