[Efficacy of rigid ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy combined with N-trap in the treatment of ureteral stones with a...

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Endourology
• Nephrolithiasis Treatment

Context:

• Ureteral stones pose a significant clinical challenge, particularly larger calculi (≥1.5 cm).
• Traditional treatments may involve higher morbidity or costs for managing large ureteral stones.
• Rigid ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy (RULL) with adjuncts is evolving for stone management.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of RULL combined with the N-trap system for treating ureteral stones ≥1.5 cm.
• To compare outcomes between patients with large ureteral stones and those with smaller stones (<1.5 cm) using RULL + N-trap.
• To assess the impact on stone clearance, renal function, operative time, and hospital stay.

Summary:

• A retrospective cohort study compared 31 patients with ureteral stones ≥1.5 cm to 31 matched patients with stones <1.5 cm, all treated with RULL + N-trap.
• Operative time was longer for larger stones (85.8±28.8 min vs. 62.4±24.6 min, P<0.05), but stone clearance at one month (93.5% vs. 100.0%) and renal function (serum creatinine, GFR) were comparable.
• Postoperative hospital stay did not differ significantly between groups.

Impact:

• RULL combined with N-trap is a viable option for large ureteral stones (≥1.5 cm).
• This technique achieves comparable therapeutic efficacy to smaller stones.
• It offers a potential reduction in the economic burden for patients undergoing ureteral stone treatment.