OBJECTIVE: Kidney stones (renal calculi) are a prevalent medical condition, causing significant pain and discomfort to patients. The existing treatment options for kidney stones include extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), and flexible ureteroscopy. It is crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of different treatment modalities, including flexible ureteroscopy, to ensure optimal patient outcomes. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of flexible ureteroscopy in treating renal calculi and determine its value in managing this condition.
METHODS: The study involved a total of 106 patients with kidney stones admitted to the hospital. The patients were divided into an experimental group and a control group. In the control group, percutaneous nephrolithotomy was performed on the patients. The procedure involved placing the patient in the lithotomy position, making an opening at the urethra, inserting a ureteral catheter retrograde to the affected side, and performing puncture under ultrasound guidance. Postoperative anti-infection treatment was given and the results were evaluated through imaging.In the experimental group, ureteral lithotripsy was performed with the patient under general anesthesia. The procedure included dilating the patient's ureter, exploring the location of the kidney stone, using a laser lithotripter to crush the stone, and clearing the fragments. A double J tube was placed at the end of the procedure, and the patient received appropriate antibiotics. Treatment and care continued until the patients were discharged. Clinical efficacy, clinical indicators, renal function, coagulation function, complications, and other factors were observed and recorded.
RESULTS: The experimental group showed higher rates of treatment effectiveness (98.11%) and significance (79.25%) compared to the control group, while the treatment failure rate (1.89%) was lower in the experimental group (P < .05). In terms of surgical outcomes, the experimental group had lower intraoperative bleeding volume, catheter removal time, hospitalization time, and postoperative activity time compared to the control group. The time to get out of bed after surgery and drainage tube removal time were also lower in the experimental group. However, the operation time was longer in the experimental group (P < .05). Regarding postoperative indicators, the experimental group exhibited lower levels of KIM-1, Cys-c, and NGAL compared to the control group (P < .05). The experimental group also had lower MA and α values, but higher R and K values during the postoperative period compared to the control group (P < .05). Overall, the experimental group had a significantly lower complication rate (11.32%) compared to the control group (28.30%) (P < .05).
CONCLUSION: The use of ureteroscopic lithotripsy in the treatment of kidney stones can effectively improve the efficiency of patient treatment, with better intraoperative conditions and better prognosis, and less impact on the patient's renal function and coagulation function, as well as reducing the occurrence of postoperative complications in patients, which is worthy of wide application and promotion in clinical practice.