Flexible ureterorenoscopy for the treatment of kidney stone within pelvic ectopic kidney

To present the outcomes of flexible ureterorenoscopy (F-URS) and laser lithotripsy for the treatment of calculi within pelvic ectopic kidney (PEK).

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 26 patients with calculi in PEK treated with F-URS in 5 referral hospitals between 2010 and 2013. Patient demographics and stone characteristics (age, sex, body mass index, stone size, location, history of shock wave lithotripsy or kidney surgery), and perioperative measures (duration of operation, fluoroscopic imaging, and hospitalization and success and complication rates) were reviewed.

A total of 26 patients with mean age of 41.1 ± 15.8 years (7-72 years) were included in the study. The mean stone size was 17.0 ± 5.1 mm (10-28 mm). The mean procedure and fluoroscopy times were calculated as 52.1 ± 27.7 minutes (30-120 minutes) and 54.8 ± 48.9 seconds (10-180 seconds), respectively. The mean length of hospital stay was 2.7 ± 1.8 days (1-9 days). Treatment was deemed successful in 22 patients (84.6%). Ureteroscopy failed in 4 patients (15.4%) due to impaired passage of fragments (n = 3) or inability to reach the stone secondary to the location in an isolated lower calyx (n = 1). Minor postoperative complications were observed in 5 patients (19.2%; persistent hematuria [n = 1], fever [n = 1], renal colic [n = 2], and urinary tract infection [n = 1]). No severe complications or mortality occurred.

Our results suggest that F-URS is a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment modality for small- and medium-sized stones in PEK.