How the hospital estimate is built
For international self-pay patients, major German university hospitals describe a case-specific process: the clinical team reviews the medical records, defines the expected treatment, and only then can the international office prepare a preliminary estimate. The final invoice can differ if the actual diagnostics, procedure, hospital stay or complications differ from the original plan.
- Clinical review before a useful quotation
- Planned diagnostics and procedure included in the estimate
- Advance payment may be required before a confirmed appointment
- Hospital stay and high-cost materials can materially affect the amount
- Final settlement follows the care actually delivered
The procedure is the largest pricing difference
German university urology departments use several stone-treatment methods depending on anatomy, stone burden and clinical circumstances.
- Ureterorenoscopy (URS) with endoscopic stone extraction or laser fragmentation
- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy / mini-PCNL for selected larger renal stones
- Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in selected cases
- Temporary ureteral stent or nephrostomy when drainage is required
- More than one treatment session when complete stone clearance cannot safely be achieved at once
CT and specialist review should come before the quotation
Stone size, location, density, urinary obstruction, infection and kidney function can change the recommended procedure. LMU's patient pathway describes CT before endoscopic intervention, while UKE selects among URS, mini-PNL and ESWL according to the individual stone situation. A quotation based only on the phrase 'kidney stone removal' may therefore price the wrong procedure.
What to ask the estimate to include
Clarify the expected episode rather than comparing only the procedure name.
- Pre-operative imaging and laboratory tests
- URS, PCNL/mini-PCNL or ESWL as the assumed procedure
- Laser, baskets and other endoscopic materials
- General anesthesia or sedation
- Ureteral stent placement and later removal
- Expected inpatient or observation period
- Follow-up imaging
- Policy if a second procedure is required
Emergency drainage and definitive stone removal may be separate episodes
An infected or obstructed kidney can require urgent drainage before definitive stone treatment. If the patient already has a ureteral stent or nephrostomy, tell the German center and send current imaging so the quotation reflects the actual stage of treatment rather than assuming an uncomplicated first procedure.
Official sources
Last source-reviewed 2026-08-30. Cost procedures and published service fees can change, so confirm current terms directly with the provider before transferring money or booking travel.
- Cost Plan — LMU Klinikum International Patient Office ↗
- International patient process and cost estimate — University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) ↗
- Finance for international patients — Heidelberg University Hospital ↗
- Urinary stones – diagnosis and treatment including URS and ESWL — LMU Klinikum Urology ↗
- Urinary-stone treatment including URS and mini-PNL — University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) ↗