Bilateral simultaneous ureteroscopy for bilateral stone disease: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Endourology
• Nephrology

Background:

• Treating bilateral renal and/or ureteric stones poses challenges regarding safety and efficacy compared to staged procedures.
• This review examines existing evidence on bilateral simultaneous ureteroscopy (BS-URS) for urinary stone disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of bilateral simultaneous ureteroscopy (BS-URS) for urinary stone disease.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of English-language studies published between January 1990 and August 2013.
• Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers.

Main Results:

• Seven studies involving 312 patients were analyzed, with a mean age of 40 years.
• Stone-free rates were 87.1% (first look) and 91.6% (re-look) for ureteric stones.
• Complications occurred in 50.8% of ureteric stone cases, mostly minor (Clavien I).

Conclusions:

• BS-URS demonstrates a high stone-free rate but is associated with a notable complication rate.
• The quality of the reviewed studies was generally low.
• Further methodologically sound research is necessary to assess the feasibility and safety of BS-URS.