title: Medical expulsive therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Researchers have recently sought out pharmacologic means of increasing rates of urinary stone passage. We outline the current understanding in medical expulsive therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We review available articles characterizing pharmaceutical agents including alpha receptor antagonists as medical expulsive agents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical expulsive therapy for ureteral stones provides a nonsurgical option for patients with ureteral stones. In view of the available clinical trials and meta-analysis, patients with distal ureteral stones measuring less than 1 cm who are candidates for observation warrant a trial of medical expulsive therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Sterrett
authors.forename: Stephen Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Nakada
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077409:Tamsulosin; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077409:Tamsulosin