San Diego, CA USA (UroToday.com) Flexible ureteroscopy is commonly performed on patients with renal and/or ureteral calculi. Currently, when this procedure is performed metrics such as irrigation infusion flow and pressure can be measured. However, the current system does not include measurements of renal pelvic pressure which may offer greater advantages when treating upper urinary calculi.
In an attempt to improve flexible ureteroscopy, Dr. Song and colleagues created an intelligent system to assist is in suctioning during flexible ureteroscopy with automatic control of renal pelvic pressure.
This system operates by performing real time recording and monitoring or renal pelvic pressure through a pressure-sensitive tip of an access sheath.
The authors reported a total of 37 patients with renal or ureteral calculi for this study. All patients received flexible ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy with automatic suction of stone fragments. Clinical variables such as stone size, operation time, stone-free rates at day 1 and day 30, complications and hospital stay were recorded and analyzed.
Their results revealed that this system can be used successfully to treat patients with renal or ureteral calculi with laser lithotripsy without the use of a stone basket. Stone-free rates were 89.2% at day 1 and 94.6% at day 30. Overall, the post-operative complication rate was 8.1% with SIRS1 in 1 patient and Fever2 in 2 patients. Average length of hospital stay was 2.5 days. The authors concluded from their findings that their system is safe and effecting for treating upper urinary calculi.
Presented By: Leming Song, MD
Written By: Renai Yoon; Research Associate, Department of Urology, University of California, Irvine at the 2016 AUA Annual Meeting - May 6 - 10, 2016 – San Diego, California, USA