The management of renal caliceal calculi with a newly designed ureteroscope: a rigid ureteroscope with a deflectable tip.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the indications for, and the effects of, the management of renal caliceal calculi with deflectable tip rigid ureteroscopy.


METHODS
We designed a new deflectable tip rigid ureteroscope, and 175 patients with renal caliceal calculi received deflectable tip rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy with a holmium laser.


RESULTS
From December 2003 to December 2007, the procedure was successfully performed in all patients with a mean operative time of 28 minutes (range 19-45 min). The mean size of renal caliceal stones was 1.3 cm (range 0.8-2.4 cm). Seventeen patients had concurrent proximal ureteral calculi. The mean lithotripsy time was 11 minutes (range 5-22 min), and the mean discharge time was 3 days after operation. The overall stone-free rate at the 1-month follow-up was 83%.


CONCLUSIONS
Ureteroscopic lithotripsy with the novel deflectable tip rigid ureteroscope is a safe procedure and combines the advantages of rigid and flexible ureteroscopy, especially for renal caliceal calculi of relatively small size.
Yinghao
Sun
S
Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China. sunyhchanghai@126.com
Yang
Bo
B
Gao
Xiaofeng
X
D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D007670:Kidney Calices / Q000473:pathology*; D018583:Pliability; D020709:Ureteroscopes / Q000009:adverse effects