title: Improved effectiveness and safety of flexible ureteroscopy for renal calculi (<2 cm): A retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We discuss the efficacy and safety of flexible ureteroscopy for renal calculi with a burden of <2 cm, as well as the prevention and treatment of complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 108 renal calculi with flexible ureteroscopy and holmium laser treatment were retrospectively analyzed. The stone-free rate was evaluated. The effectiveness, safety, surgical technique, incidence of complications, and relevant treatments were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients underwent only one lithotripsy procedure. The success rate of flexible ureteroscopy was 97.2% (105/108). Among the 105 cases, the total lithotripsy success rate was 97.1% (101/105). The total stone-free rate after 8 weeks post-operation was 94.3% (99/105), the stone-free rate of the lower calyx was 85.7% (30/35); it was 98.6% (69/70) in the middle-upper calyceal and renal pelvis. The incidence of complications was 12.9% (14/108). None of the patients had serious adverse outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Flexible ureteroscopy represents an optimal treatment option for selected renal calculi with burden of <2 cm. The effectiveness and safety of flexible ureteroscopy can be further improved through reasonable preoperative evaluation and advances in surgical techniques, as well as a better understanding of the inducement and treatment of complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Shuqiu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaowen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Guozhu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China; and the Institute of Urology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen