title: Role of removing stasis and reducing heat formula in clearance of proximal ureteral calculi after ureteroscopic Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy: a prospective randomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively evaluate the efficacy of Removing Stasis and Reducing Heat Formula in accelerating calculus clearance and improving lower urinary tract symptoms of patients with proximal ureteral calculi after ureteroscopic Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 138 patients with proximal ureteral calculi underwent ureteroscopic Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy by a single endocrinologist. Stone size varied from 10 to 15 mm. After operation, the patients were randomly divided into three groups: the control group (group A), tamsulosin group (group B), and Removing Stasis and Reducing Heat Formula group (group C). The treatment lasted for 4 weeks or until stone clearance. The primary and secondary outcomes of the three groups at follow-up were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 131 patients available for follow-up, 44 cases were in the group A, 45 in the group B, and 42 in the group C, respectively. The stone free rate at 2 weeks in the groups B and C were significantly higher than that in the group A (95.56%, 97.62% vs. 79.55%; all P<0.05). The ureteral colic rate and mean time of fragment expulsion were significantly reduced in the groups B (4.44% and 7.86±4.99 days) and C (2.43% and 6.76±4.37 days) compared with the group A (22.73% and 11.54±9.89 days, all P<0.05). On the day of double-J ureteric stent removal, the group C differed significantly from the group A in the total International Prostate Symptom Score, irritative subscore, obstructive subscore, and quality of life score (all P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Removing Stasis and Reducing Heat Formula in the medical expulsive therapy might be an effective modality for patients with calculus in the proximal uretera after ureteroscopic Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong 262700, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong 262700, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong 262700, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong 262700, China.
authors.forename: Bai-zhi
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shouguang, Shandong 262700, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250000, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-wang
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D018666:Ureteroscopy / Q000379:methods*