The management of renal caliceal calculi with a newly designed ureteroscope: a rigid ureteroscope with a deflectable tip.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the indications for, and the effects of, the management of renal caliceal calculi with deflectable tip rigid ureteroscopy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We designed a new deflectable tip rigid ureteroscope, and 175 patients with renal caliceal calculi received deflectable tip rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy with a holmium laser.
RESULTS: From December 2003 to December 2007, the procedure was successfully performed in all patients with a mean operative time of 28 minutes (range 19-45 min). The mean size of renal caliceal stones was 1.3 cm (range 0.8-2.4 cm). Seventeen patients had concurrent proximal ureteral calculi. The mean lithotripsy time was 11 minutes (range 5-22 min), and the mean discharge time was 3 days after operation. The overall stone-free rate at the 1-month follow-up was 83%.
CONCLUSION: Ureteroscopic lithotripsy with the novel deflectable tip rigid ureteroscope is a safe procedure and combines the advantages of rigid and flexible ureteroscopy, especially for renal caliceal calculi of relatively small size.