Ureteroscopy (URS) in ureteral stone treatment

Anastasios Kollias

¹Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, Ammerland-klinik, Westerstede, Germany
²Department of Urology, Iatriko Medical Center, Athen, P. Faliro, Greece

Introduction: The therapy of ureterolithiasis through ureterorenoscopy (URS) has gain a lot of space the last years; mostly for the adequate treatment of the distal ureteral stones. This retrospective study demonstrates the value of URS in our department in comparison with stones location; efficiency in stones removal; frequency of ureteral trauma as well as patients hospitalization.

Methods: During the last four (4) years we performed 553 ureterorenoscopies for diagnostic and therapeutical purposes. The indication for performing URS was based on IVP or/and CT findings were as contraindications was urinary infection.

Results: From the above mentioned 553 URS, 118/553 (21,3%) URS was done for diagnostic purposes, and the remaining 335 (78,7%) for stone removal (315, 69 and 51 for distal, middle and proximal ureteral stones respectively .

All patients received ureteral catheter, which was removed in a period off 7 till 14 days.

Successfully stone removal up to 91% (395 from 435). Hospitalization postoperatively up to 2,9 days. Two ureteral traumas in distal ureteral stone surgery were reported.

Conclusions: In our department, URS is the Gold Standard treatment for stones localized at the level of distal ureter. This fact is enhanced by the low risk of ureteral traumas.

So ureterorenoscopy seems to be a very adequate method and can be the choice of treatment for ureterolithiasis. The improvement of technical devices and the use of flexible URS make this method attractive not only for ureterolithiasis but also for small kidney stones or concrements especially after ESWL therapy.