Comparison of tipless and helical baskets in an in vitro ureteral model.
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.
Lukasewycz
Stephen
S
Department of Urologic Surgery, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Hoffman
Nathan
N
Botnaru
Andrei
A
Deka
P M
PM
Monga
Manoj
M
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004867:Equipment Design; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*