treatment of ureteral calculi by ureteroscopy: experience of 100 cases at the faculdade de medicina do abc (fmabc – medical school)

Objective: To report the experience of treating ureteral calculi byureteroscopy at the Faculdade de Medicina do ABC – SP, with anemphasis on the efficacy and safety of the method. Methods: Aretrospective analysis of 100 ureteroscopies performed fromJanuary 2001 to August 2003 in 98 patients with ureteral calculi.Results: A 91% success rate was observed with a single procedureusing this technique. Intracorporeal lithotripsy was necessary in61% of cases before removing the stone; in the remaining cases, itwas extracted with no disintegration. Endoscopic approach wasimpossible in only one patient who required conversion toconventional open surgery. The double-J stent was inserted in73.7% of procedures. Complications were observed in 8% of cases.Conclusion: The present study demonstrated results comparablewith those reported in large series in the literature. The high successrates, low morbidity, rapid convalescence and lack of estheticconsequences corroborate the role of ureteroscopy as an attractivealternative for treating ureteral calculi.