title: Efficacy Management of Urolithiasis: Flexible Ureteroscopy versus Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of flexible ureterscopy (fURS) and extracorporal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) in the treatment of urolithiasis, complemented by a subgroup analysis of lower pole calyx.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of patients treated by fURS or SWL was performed by independent variables such as gender, age, nephrolith size, double-J stent (DJ stent) and stone localisation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 326 patients, 165 were treated by SWL and 161 by fURS. Complete stone removal was achieved by fURS in 83.2% and by SWL in 43.0% (p < 0.001). Asymptomatic behaviour (88-89%) and complication rate (10-11%) were nearly the same in both methods. A higher retreatment rate for SWL was necessary; otherwise, an auxillary DJ stent was performed more often preoperative before fURS. The subgroup analysis of lower pole calyx confirmed these evaluations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complete stone-free removal was almost 8 times higher after fURS compared to SWL. The efficacy of fURS in treatment of urolithiasis is substantially higher than the efficacy of SWL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, AKh Linz, Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Volkmar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tauber
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wohlmuth
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hochmuth
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schimetta
authors.forename: Wofgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schimetta
authors.forename: F Steffen
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Krause
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020709:Ureteroscopes; D018666:Ureteroscopy; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult