Retrograde intrarenal surgery for lower pole stones utilizing stone displacement technique yields excellent results

Objective:To evaluate the long-term stone-free rate(SFR)of retrograde intrarenal surgery(RIRS)in the treatment of lower pole renal calculi using only basket relocation and identify independent predictors of stone-free status.Methods:All consecutive patients undergoing RIRS lower pole renal calculi at a single highvolume tertiary center were analyzed retrospectively.Lower pole stones were relocated to the upper pole,where laser lithotripsy was performed.All patients were followed up in the clinic following the surgery and yearly thereafter.The stone-free status was assessed with a combination of an abdominal ultrasound and abdominal X-ray,or an abdominal non-contrast computed tomography if the stones were known to be radiolucent.Results:A total of 480 consecutive patients who underwent RIRS for treatment of lower pole renal calculi,between January 2012 and December 2018,were analyzed from a prospectively maintained database of 3000 ureteroscopies.With a median follow-up time of 18.6 months,the mean SFR was 94.8%.The procedures were unsuccessful in 26(5.4%)patients due to unreachable stones.The median stone size of the unreachable stones was 12 mm(range 10e30 mm).Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed two predictors of SFR for lower pole stones:a small cumulative stone burden(odds ratio[OR]:0.903,95%confidence interval[CI]:0.867e0.941,p<0.0001)and preoperative ureteral stent insertion(OR:0.515,95%CI:0.318e0.835,pZ0.007).Conclusion:The long-term SFR of RIRS for the treatment of lower pole stones with basket displacement with appropriate patient selection is high.

Present indications and techniques of percutaneous nephrolithotomy:What the future holds?

The purpose of the review was to present the latest updates on percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL)procedure in terms of indications and evolving techniques,and to identify the advantages and disadvantages of each modality.The data for this review were collected after a thorough PubMed search in core clinical journals in English language.The key words included“PCNL”and“PNL”in combination with“indications”,“techniques”,“review”and“miniaturized PCNL”.Publications relevant to the subject were retrieved and critically reviewed.Current European and American Urology Association Nephrolithiasis Guidelines were included as well.The indications for standard PCNL have been changed through the past decade.Despite evolution of the procedure,innovations and the development of new technical approaches,the indications for miniaturized PCNL have not been standardized yet.There is a need for well-constructed randomized trials to explore the indications,complications and results for each evolving approach.A continuous reduction of tract size is not the only revolution of the last years.There is constant ongoing interest in developing new efficient miniature instruments,intracorporeal lithotripters and sophisticated tract creation methods.We can summarize that,PCNL represents a valuable well-known tool in the field of endourology.We should be open minded to future changes in surgical approaches and technological improvements.