title: Retrograde fluoroscopy-guided trans-urethral exchange of ureteral stents: Comparison of direct grasping vs. modified snare.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several different techniques including guide-wire lasso, simple snare, modified snare (MS) and direct grasping (DG), are available for retrograde ureteral stent retrieval and exchange. Choice among them is not always easy and depends on many different factors, including the local level of expertise.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the MS and DG during retrograde exchange of double-J ureteral stent under fluoroscopic guidance.
  
  
  METHODS
  66 patients (36 men and 30 women; mean age 66.6 years) needing retrograde ureteral stent exchange were included. All stents were previously placed through an anterograde way.
  
  
  METHODS
  Time needed to grasp each single stent was recorded as well as the complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fisher's test was used to compare procedural time in both groups; P < 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  102 stents were exchanged. Mean time was 4.46 min for DG and 7.81 min for MS (P = 0.029). No significant complications were encountered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to the MS, the DG is easier, quicker, and less expensive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma", Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200 00128, Rome.
authors.forename: Rosario Francesco
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma", Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200 00128, Rome.
authors.forename: Eliodoro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faiella
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma", Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200 00128, Rome.
authors.forename: Roberto Luigi
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Cazzato
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma", Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200 00128, Rome.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luppi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma", Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200 00128, Rome.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Del Vescovo
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma", Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200 00128, Rome.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giurazza
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma", Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200 00128, Rome.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mercurio
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma", Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200 00128, Rome.
authors.forename: Bruno Beomonte
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Zobel
keywords: Fluoroscopy; retrograde stent exchange; stent; ureter