Expanding role of ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy for treatment of proximal ureteral and intrarenal calculi.
OBJECTIVE
Ureteroscopy has assumed an expanded and important role in the treatment of proximal ureteral and intrarenal calculi with the development of new endoscopes, more effective grasping devices, and the holmium laser lithotriptor.


RESULTS
The success rate for treating proximal ureteral stones with small rigid and flexible ureteroscopes and the holmium laser is well over 90%. Lower pole renal calculi can also be treated with a success rate of approximately 80%, which surpasses that of shock wave lithotripsy. Selected stones that are over 2 cm in diameter, along with branched stones, can also be treated successfully with ureteroscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
Ureteroscopy is the most successful technique for the treatment of ureteral calculi (success rates >90%) and is an optional treatment for many renal calculi.
Bagley
Demetrius H
DH
Department of Urology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. demetrius.bagley@mail.tju.edu
D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D020709:Ureteroscopes; D018666:Ureteroscopy / Q000379:methods