Ureteroscopy for proximal ureteral calculi: prevention of stone migration.
BACKGROUND
The cephalad migration of proximal ureteral calculi accounts for a high percentage of ureteroscopic failures.


METHODS
A balloon on a wire is a single-channel 0.038-inch hollow guidewire with a low-profile balloon, which is inflatable to 12F. Forty-two consecutive patients with proximal ureteral calculi underwent ureteroscopy with the aid of this device.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine patients had successful placement of the balloon on a wire above the stone. Of those 29 patients, 26 became stone free with a single procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
The balloon on a wire is a useful tool to aid in the prevention of proximal ureteral stone migration during ureteroscopy and to minimize the number of secondary procedures. In addition, it appears to be cost-effective.
Dretler
S P
SP
Kidney Stone Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. sdetler@partners.org
D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy; D008297:Male; D019233:Retreatment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D018666:Ureteroscopy / Q000379:methods