title: Ureteral stent exchange under fluoroscopic guidance using the crochet hook technique in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We developed a method for ureteral stent exchange in female patients under fluoroscopic guidance using a crochet hook technique (CHEX).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 45 female patients (51 stents) underwent exchange of ureteral stents. In these patients, 21 ureteral stents were exchanged using CHEX. All procedures were carried out with the patients under conscious sedation. At the time of the procedures, we extracted the ureteral stent from the external urethral orifice using CHEX under fluoroscopic guidance and inserted the new stent under fluoroscopic guidance without cystoscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  20 of the 21 stents (95.2%) were successfully exchanged. Ureteral stent exchange using CHEX was unsuccessful in 1 patient, including migration to the ureter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ureteral stent exchange using a crochet hook is easy, safe and cost-effective. This technique was also easy to learn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ohguchi Higashi General Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. takashi_tk2001 @ yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terao
authors.forename: Yuzo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Hiroji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D020878:Device Removal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D015607:Stents; D013523:Surgical Equipment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014513:Ureter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult