title: Retroperitoneoscopic ureterolithotomy for the treatment of ureteral calculi.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most upper or middle ureteral stones are treated with shock wave lithotripsy or endoscopic techniques. In rare cases the ureteral stones are treated with open surgery after failure of first-line treatments. Retroperitoneoscopy is a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 1995 and January 2001, twenty-one patients underwent retroperitoneoscopic ureterolithotomy. The stones in upper and middle ureter were large and impacted (5 patients) or not fragmented after shock wave lithotripsy (16 patients). A balloon dissector was placed and infiltrated with 800 ml air in the retroperitoneal space. Three 10-mm trocars were used. The pressure was kept at 15 mm Hg by carbon dioxide insufflation. The stones were extracted from the ureter using a laparoscopic stylet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stones in 17 patients were successfully removed in a median operating time of 105 (min-max 45-190) min. Urine extravasation in all cases and pnomoscrotum in 2 cases were observed as postoperative complications. The median hospital stay was 6 (min-max 3-22) days with minimal analgesic requirement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retroperitoneoscopic ureterolithotomy is a useful and effective alternative treatment technique to open surgery when first-line treatments have failed or are unlikely to be effective.
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University, Medical Faculty Department of Urology, Kayseri, Turkey. demirci@erciyes.edu.tr
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gülmez
authors.forename: Oğuz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ekmekçioğlu
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karacagil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014513:Ureter / Q000601:surgery*; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*