Abstract
We report the success and complication rates of pulsed dye-laser and pneumatic lithotripsy methods, as well as emphasizing the importance of early forceps application.
Materials and Methods
We retrospectively evaluated ureterorenoscopy performed in 900 patients, between April 1996 and May 2004, due to distal ureter stones. Following stone fragmentation, patients with stones ≤4 mm in diameter were accepted as stone-free and patients with stones >4 mm had them removed with forceps.
Results
In the laser treated group, the 1st stone-free rate in patients with a stone diameter ≤4 mm was 56.9%. In this group, when forceps were used in patients after fragmentation, the total stone-free rate increased to 96.8%. Likewise, while the 1st stone-free rate in the pneumatic group was 71.56%, the total stone-free rate increased to 96.73% after forceps application.
Conclusion
Both success and complication rates were found to be significantly higher in the pneumatic lithotriptor applied group.
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