title: Comparison of tipless and helical baskets in an in vitro ureteral model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the rapidity of stone capture and removal by six tipless and four helical baskets in a ureteral model. Expeditious ureteral stone extraction is reliant on the basket size, configuration, and radial dilation force.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 5-mm feline calculus was placed in a simulated model of the human ureter at a distance of 7.5 cm from the orifice, and saline irrigant instilled. A 6/7.5F Wolf semirigid ureteroscope was used for access and visualization of the stone. Operators were randomized to start stone extraction with 1 of 10 stone baskets, and three extraction attempts were conducted with each device. Six experienced operators tested each device. The tipless baskets tested were the ACMI Sur-Catch NT 3.0F, Bard Dimension 3.0F, Boston Scientific Zerotip 3.0F, Cook N-Circle 3.0F, Cook Delta 2.4F, and Sacred Heart Halo 1.9F. The helical baskets tested were the Cook N-Force 3.2F, Microvasive Gemini 3.0F, ACMI Sur-Catch Helical 3.0F, and Sacred Heart Hercules 3.0F. The time to extraction in seconds was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was observed between the tipless (14 +/- 7 seconds) or helical (12.8 +/- 6.6 seconds, P = 0.21) basket groups. All baskets were able to retrieve the ureteral stones successfully. The most efficient basket was the Cook N-Circle with an average time of 8.7 seconds to stone extraction compared with the least efficient basket, the ACMI Sur-Catch NT, at 15.8 seconds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Cook N-Circle basket provided the most expeditious means to stone extraction in a ureteral model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urologic Surgery, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lukasewycz
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botnaru
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Deka
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004867:Equipment Design; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*