title: Efficacy and safety of semirigid ureteroscopy combined with holmium: YAG laser in the treatment of upper urinary tract calculi: Is it a good alternative treatment option of flexible ureteroscopy for developing countries?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the success rates of endoscopic management of upper ureteral stones using semirigid ureterorenoscopy and holmium: YAG laser lithotripters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 74 patients with an established diagnosis of upper ureteric stone and scheduled for endoscopic ureteral stone treatment were retrospectively evaluated. Failure was defined as the inability to contact or fragment the stone, migration of the stone into the renal pelvis and difficulty in visualizing the stone for the second time. Success rates and influencing factors as for stone-free state were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of our patients was 45.99±15.00 (range: 24-82) years. In 14 of 74 patients procedural failure was observed. Double J stents were implanted in 65 % of the patients and ureteral catheterization was performed on 20% of them. The total success rate was 81.1 %. Major complication rate was 1.1 percent. Factors effecting the success rate as gender, age, body mass index, grade of hydronephrosis and stone size were evaluated and only age was found to be statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite some potential risks, semirigid ureterorenoscopic stone extraction and holmium: YAG laser lithotripters are still safe and effective treatment alternatives for management of upper ureteral stones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Icerenkoy/Atasehir, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgur Haki
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Icerenkoy/Atasehir, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Icerenkoy/Atasehir, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urkmez
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Icerenkoy/Atasehir, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uruc
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Icerenkoy/Atasehir, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D018666:Ureteroscopy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Upper ureter, Stone, Semirigid ureterorenoscope, Holmium: YAG laser.