Treatment of ureteral calculi by rigid ureteroscopy: a study of 67 cases.

Purpose: To evaluate the results obtained by rigid ureteroscopy to treat ur eteral calculi. Materials and methods: Between May 1998 and September 2000, 63 patients und erwent 67 rigid ureteroscopies (URS) with three endoscopic retreatments and one bilateral URS, for 48 distal, ten mid and nine proximal ureteral calcu li. Results: After URS 77.6% of the patients were free of the stones. Success r ate was respectively 85.4%, 60% and 55.5% in distal, mid and proximal urete re. Morbidity was 10.4% and there have been one stricture treated by endosc opy. Conclusion: Our series demonstrates that rigid URS is safe and effective pr ocedure to treat distal, ureteral calculi, Thus, it should be considered a treatment of choice for distal ureteral calculi. (C) 2001 Editions scientif iques et medicales Elsevier SAS.