Flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy combined with metallic ureteral stents for the treatment of patients with upper urinary tract calculi

Flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy (FURS) is the most common treatment for patients with upper urinary tract calculi (diameter, <2 cm). The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the efficacy of FURS combined with metallic ureteral stents (MUS) for the treatment of upper urinary tract calculi. A total of 38 patients with upper urinary tract calculi were recruited in the present study, to compare the efficacy between FURS and FURS combined with MUS (FURSMUS). The results demonstrated that FURSMUS shortened operative time compared with FURS (35.2±1.2 vs. 57.4±1.7 min, respectively; P<0.01). Data also indicated that the clearance rate in FURSMUS and FURS was decreased from 94.5 and 87.8%, respectively (P<0.05). FURSMUS treatment decreased the duration of postoperative hospital stay compared with FURS (4.5±0.5 vs. 7.5±1.5 days, respectively; P<0.05). These data demonstrated that FURSMUS significantly increased postoperative inflammation score compared with FURS (6.2±0.8 vs. 4.2±1.0, respectively; P<0.05). The complication rate and blood loss exhibited no significant difference between FURSMUS and FURS (complication rate, 6.5% vs. 5.9%, respectively; blood loss, 4.2% vs. 4.6%, respectively). FURSMUS significantly decreased inflammatory cytokines and risk of sepsis, and improved readmission rate, stone recurrence and progressionfree survival compared with patients treated with FURS. In conclusion, these data suggested that FURSMUS may be an efficient, minimally invasive and reproducible operation for patients with upper urinary tract calculi.