What is a cystolitholapaxy? A cystolitholapaxy is a medical procedure used to treat bladder stones, which are hard deposits of minerals that can form inside the bladder. During a cystolitholapaxy, an instrument called a cystoscope is inserted into the bladder to locate the bladder stone or stones. The cystoscope is a long, narrow tube with a small camera at one end. The cystoscope is connected to a stone-crushing device, which uses laser energy or ultrasound waves to break up the stones into smaller fragments.