Abstract

  Purpose：We evaluated the efficacy and clinical outcome of transurethral lithotripsy（TUL）for upper urinary tract stones.
  Materials and Methods：Between April 2002 and March 2010, we performed TUL in 229 patients（156 males 73 females）. The mean patient age was 57.2 years （range 21-88）. Lithotripsy was performed with a rigid ureteroscope and Lithoclast^Ⓡ for ureteral stones, and with a flexible ureteroscope and holmium-YAG（Ho-YAG）laser for renal stones. Effective treatment was defined as the patient becoming stone-free or having fragments less than 4 mm one month after TUL.
  Result：The overall effective rate was 83.4%（193/229）. The effective rate according to stone location was as followed：29.4% for stones in the renal pelvis and calix（R2）, 69.0% for those in the ureteropelvic junction（R3）, 84.8% for those in the upper ureter（U1）, 94.1% for those in the middle ureter（U2）, and 98.6% for those in the distal ureter（U3）.
  Conclusion：TUL is an effective and safe method of managing ureteral stones, but for renal stones more than 20 mm, TUL is not effective.