Specialists may soon be able to remove patients' kidney stones in one procedure after the development of revolutionary new treatment, the Daily Mail reports.

The procedure, known as bilateral simultaneous ureteroscopy, aims to clear both kidneys at the same time, instead of during two separate operations.

It involves visualising and positioning stones with a ureteroscope, before using a laser beam to break them up.

Kidney stones, known as nephrolithiasis, develop in one or both of the kidneys when crystals of salt accumulate into hard stone-like lumps.

Small stones may be passed out in urine and even go undetected, but medium-sized or large stones might block part of the urinary system, such as the urethra.

If this happens, they can cause severe pain in the abdomen or groin, and may case a urinary tract infection.

Kidney stones are fairly common and are typically seen in people aged between 30 and 60.

They affect around 10 to 15 per cent of men, compared to just 2 to 7 per cent of women.

А recent study had seen the technique performed on 22 patients suffering from kidney stones.

More than three-quarters of patients were sent home the same day - with others suffering only minimal complications.