Efficacy and safety of lithotripsy with ureteroscopy for ureteral stones in octogenarians

To assess the efficacy and safety of lithotripsy with ureteroscopy for managing ureteral stone in octogenarian patients.

This retrospective study analyzed 314 patients who underwent retrograde lithotripsy with ureteroscopy for ureteral stones between January 2018 and August 2024. Patients were categorized into two groups based on age: the octogenarian group (⩾80 years) and the younger patient group (<80 years). Clinical parameters, including the stone-free rate, postoperative length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications, were compared. To minimize confounding variables, 1:1 propensity score matching was performed, resulting in 41 patients in each group.

After propensity score matching, no significant differences in baseline clinical characteristics between the groups. Additionally, no statistically significant differences were observed in the stone-free rate, postoperative length of hospital stay, or postoperative complication rates between the two cohorts.

These findings suggest that lithotripsy with ureteroscopy is an effective and safe treatment option for ureteral stones in carefully selected octogenarian patients.