The role of laparoscopy in the treatment of renal and ureteral calculi

Purpose: We assessed the efficacy of laparoscopy in the treatment of renal and ureteral stones. Materials and Methods: Laparoscopic stone extraction was attempted in 11 men and 6 women 22 to 75 years old, including 6 with ureteral and 11 with renal calculi. Of the renal stones 9 were associated with a concomitant pathological condition requiring surgery. Four patients had multiple stones (2 to 93) and stone size ranged from 2 to 60 mm. (mean 15.6). Results: Stones from 15 of 17 patients were removed successfully via laparoscopic techniques. Operative time ranged from 2.33 to 6.35 hours (mean 4.9). Prolonged operating times were associated with ancillary or failed procedures. Blood loss ranged from 20 to 350 mi. (mean 132.9), narcotic requirement from 0 to 100 mg. morphine (mean 26) and hospital stay from 1 to 15 days (mean 4.5). The 3 postoperative complications included prolonged ileus (2) and a retroperitoneal urinoma requiring secondary drainage (1). Conclusions: Laparoscopic stone removal is safe and feasible. Indications for this approach include urinary stones associated with an anatomical abnormality requiring urinary tract reconstruction and calculi for which other minimally invasive therapies failed.