An innovative approach to management of lower third ureteral calculi.
A total of 130 patients with symptomatic lower third ureteral calculi underwent 136 treatments by 43 accredited urologists. These treatments were performed at a fixed lithotripsy site and 16 mobile sites using the Medstone lithotriptor from December 1990 through January 1992. The average stone size was 8.16 x 5.14 mm. A total of 126 patients underwent a single treatment and 4 underwent multiple treatment sessions. Of the 126 patients undergoing monotherapy 10 (8%) were lost to followup, while 101 of the remaining 116 evaluable patients (87%) were stone-free with a single treatment. The 15 patients in this subgroup who were considered failures and the 4 patients who underwent multiple treatments had overall larger stone sizes. The preoperative stent placement rate was only 32%. The treatments were well tolerated by the patients. Our report confirms a high efficacy rate with the second generation bathless lithotriptor for management of lower third ureteral calculi. The importance of a stable and qualified technical team cannot be overemphasized.
Department of Urology, Tulane, Medical School, New Orleans, Louisiana.
R
R
Thomas
J N
JN
Macaluso
T
T
Vandenberg
F T
FT
Salvatore
D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*