title: Impact of obesity on ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy of urinary tract calculi.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The treatment of urinary tract stones in obese patients may differ from the treatment of non-obese patients and their success rate varies. Our objective was to compare ureteroscopic treatment outcomes of ureteral and renal stones, stratified for stone size and location, between overweight, obese and non-obese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Charts were reviewed for 500 consecutive patients presenting at our institution for renal and ureteral stones. A total of 107 patients underwent flexible or semi-rigid ureteroscopy with Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy and met criteria for review and analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, initial stone-free rates were 91%, 97%, and 94% in normal, overweight and obese individuals respectively. When compared to non-obese patients, there were no significant differences (p value = 0.26; 0.50). For renal and proximal ureteral stones, the stone-free rate in overweight and obese individuals was 94% in both groups; and a stone-free rate of 100% was found for distal stones, also in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ureteroscopic treatment of stones in obese and overweight patients is an acceptable treatment modality, with success rates similar to non-obese patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032 , USA.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Natalin
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.forename: Zephaniah
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Okeke
authors.forename: Mantu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D018666:Ureteroscopy / Q000379:methods*