Joseph Song, MD, on patient selection for the SURE procedure

The emergence of new aspiration devices for stone disease has ushered in a new era in the management of kidney stones. One of these novel tools is the CVAC System, which is used to perform Steerable Ureteroscopic Renal Evacuation (SURE) procedures.

In a recent interview with Urology Times®, Joseph Song, MD, discusses his approach to patient selection for the SURE procedure, particularly in comparison to more invasive options such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).

Song is a urologist with Georgia Urology in Atlanta, Georgia.

Song began by detailing key considerations when approaching patient selection for the SURE procedure. He noted that due to the use of a sheath with the CVAC device, he prefers patients that are either pre-stented or have undergone a procedure in the past, as these patients tend to have a more dilated ureter.

He noted, “For someone with a large stone who's never had a stent, never had a previous procedure, I usually counsel them, ‘Hey, if we have trouble getting the sheath up, we're going to place a stent and come back for a staged procedure.’ That has changed my counseling whenever I'm dealing with a patient with a large stone.”

Song also touched on the role for PCNL moving forward.

“PCNL certainly still has a role,” he explained. “I think this is a good adjunct to PCNL for patients who may not tolerate being prone, who have a stone that's in the PCNL range. This offers a way for patients to have an outpatient procedure without a cut on the on their back. It's certainly a lot less invasive and a lower risk, I suspect, for bleeding and other complication compared to PCNL.”