Kidney Stones Treatment - New Study Reveals Most Appropriate Treatment Methods

A recent study into the removal of ureteric stones, which considered non-invasive methods such as extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL), as well as uretoscopy (URS), which is an invasive technique involving the insertion of an ureteroscope into the distal ureter in order to remove the stone, concluded that ESWL is one of the best methods of removing ureteric stones which are of a diameter of 1cm or less, whereas URS was more effecting in the removal of stones over 1cm in diameter. The study was conducted by researchers the Department of Urology at the University Federico II in Naples, Italy.

Professor Vincenzo Mirone, the co-author of this study, made the following comments regarding ureteric stones and well as the two accepted methods for their removal: “ESWL and URS are both accepted treatments for distal ureteric stones, but there is a lot of discussion about which surgical technique should be used as a first-line strategy for this condition. Approximately one in three adults with kidney stones will have a distal ureteric stone at some point in their lives. Most stones with a diameter of up to 0.5cm will be expelled spontaneously when the patient urinates without requiring any active intervention. For larger stones that get stuck in the ureter, spontaneous expulsion is very difficult and requires active intervention. These results clearly indicate that ESWL should be the first choice for patients with stones of 1cm and under and URS should be the first choice for patients with stones exceeding 1cm.”