May 15th 2025
Professor Andreas Skolarikos shares his experience with the LithoVue Elite System.
ROCKS study takes big initial step in improving care
January 25th 2019"The concept of 'surgical quality' is emerging as an important component of health care delivery. At present, though, there is no universally accepted definition of what surgical quality is; indeed, this term may mean different things to different physicians, patients, and others," writes Brian R. Matlaga, MD, MPH.
Nearly 10% of URS patients visit emergency room
January 25th 2019An analysis of nearly 2,000 patients undergoing ureteroscopy found that approximately 10% of the cohort had an emergency department visit after the procedure, a figure a statewide quality improvement initiative is looking to reduce via patient education regarding ureteral stents.
Tolterodine pretreatment does not improve stent symptoms
December 20th 2018Pretreatment for 14 days with tolterodine (Detrol) and Tamsulosin (Flomax) did not appear to relieve ureteral stent symptoms better than tamsulosin alone as measured by the validated Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire, say the authors of a recent study.
Challenging cases in urology: Persistent ureteral stone in a 76-year-old male
March 2nd 2018An elderly male with hypertension, lumbar spinal stenosis, morbid obesity, and ED presents with acute right-sided worsening of his chronic back pain. A distal right ureteral stone is found on CT and his symptoms respond well to medical therapy, but he later develops severe right flank pain.
Quality of stone care: We can do better
February 16th 2018A recent study "revealed that inadequate pain control, presence of a ureteral stent, and a first-time stone treatment were the most common reasons for unplanned utilization of health care services [following ureteroscopy]," writes Brian R. Matlaga, MD, MPH.
URS techniques: When to choose dusting vs. basketing
February 1st 2018When treating kidney stones, debate continues over the use of dusting versus basketing. In this interview, Olivier Traxer, MD, describes both methods, lists his preferred laser settings, and explains why he changed the way he uses ureteral access sheaths.
Low-oxalate diet more beneficial than supplement
January 22nd 2018A preliminary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial supports the efficacy of a low-oxalate diet for reducing urinary oxalate excretion in patients with idiopathic hyperoxaluria, but shows little or no benefit for daily dietary supplementation with vitamin B6 25 mg/magnesium 400 mg or a diet-supplement combination.
How do ureteroscope types compare ergonomically?
September 25th 2017Findings of a study investigating biomechanical stresses on the urologist while performing flexible ureteroscopy indicate that reusable and single-use digital ureteroscopes have a more favorable ergonomic profile than a reusable fiberoptic instrument.
Gout patients at 60% greater risk for stone disease
September 4th 2017Men and women with gout are at 60% greater risk for nephrolithiasis than adults without gout, according to a study looking at not only the chronic kidney condition’s incidence but also potential risk factors for first-time nephrolithiasis in people with and without gout.