ROLE OF URETEROSCOPY IN THE TREATMENT OF LOWER URETERAL CALCULI - REPORT OF 52 CASES

Between July 1990 and December 1995, 52 patients with lower ureteral c alculi were treated by rigid ureteroscopy in the ''B'' Urology departm ent of Avicenne Hospital. The use of ureteroscopy facilitated Dormia e xtraction (58%) or ultrasonic litrotripsy fragmentation (17%) or remov al of the stone with the two procedures (21%). The overall success rat e was 92.3% with a 2% retreatment rate. Complications were rare (3 of 52 : 5.8 percent), The mean hospital stay was 3.3 days. Based on our f indings, we conclude that rigid ureteroscopy for lower ureteral stone removal is effective with low morbidity and shorter hospital stay.