Percutaneous removal of ureteral calculi: clinical and experimental results

Between May 1983 and October 1984, 51 patients who had 68 ureteral stones underwent treatment at the University of Minnesota. All 68 stones were removed successfully using percutaneous techniques. The 100% success rate is a great improvement over previous results at our institution. The primary factors appear to be the development of the retrograde-flush technique, familiarity with and access to a wider range of methods, and the increasing use of the retrograde ureterorenoscope to see stones in the lower ureter. The average patient was a 45-year-old man who had no other medical problems. The average hospital stay was 6.8 days. Experimental studies with dogs indicate that injection rates of up to 30 ml/sec of contrast material through a retrograde catheter in the ureter are safe if a vent is present in the upper collecting system.