Endoscopic management of urolithiasis in the morbidly obese patient

A retrospective review of 48 consecutive morbidly obese patients with urolithiasis who were treated successfully by endoscopic modalities over 3.5 years was performed. Of the 73 endoscopic procedures, 48 were ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy (UL), 4 were ureteroscopic basket extraction, and 21 were percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL). The patients' weight ranged from 205 to 385 lbs. (average 286 lbs.). Their abdominal girth ranged from 53 to 65 inches (average 59 inches). Twenty-six patients had one procedure, eight patients had bilateral procedures, eleven patients had two procedures, and three patients had three procedures with utilization of either multiple ureteroscopic treatments or the combination of percutaneous and ureteroscopic techniques. The stone-free rate after one procedure was 77.8% for UL and 60% for PCNL. The stone-free rate after planned repeat procedures was 97% for UL/UL and 89% for PCNL/UL. There were two minor complications. Forty-eight procedures mere performed on an outpatient basis, and the remaining 25 procedures necessitated hospital admission (average 3.6 days). Morbidly obese patients with urolithiasis who are unable to have SWL because of their body weight and abdominal girth can be treated successfully with UL, ureteroscopic basket extraction, and PCNL with efficacy comparable to that in patients of normal weight and with minimal morbidity. Many renal calculi were treated with UL alone with a high success rate.