Dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy: A prospective randomized study

Abstract. Background. Recent advances in endoscopic technology have empowered urologists to treat most types of stones within the urinary tract effectively. Available treatments for ureteral stones using a laser lithotripter include fragmentation, the active removal of fragments with a basket, and d...

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Main Authors: Samer Morsy, Ahmed Essam, Islam Nasser, Mohamed Elsheikh, Sherif Abdel Rahman, Kareem Daw
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Health 2025-07-01
Series:Current Urology
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CU9.0000000000000285
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author Samer Morsy
Ahmed Essam
Islam Nasser
Mohamed Elsheikh
Sherif Abdel Rahman
Kareem Daw
author_facet Samer Morsy
Ahmed Essam
Islam Nasser
Mohamed Elsheikh
Sherif Abdel Rahman
Kareem Daw
author_sort Samer Morsy
collection DOAJ
description Abstract. Background. Recent advances in endoscopic technology have empowered urologists to treat most types of stones within the urinary tract effectively. Available treatments for ureteral stones using a laser lithotripter include fragmentation, the active removal of fragments with a basket, and dusting. To date, only a few prospective randomized studies have endorsed the use of stone dusting, fragmentation, and active removal for ureteric stones. Materials and methods. This randomized, prospective, comparative study was conducted in the Urology Department. Sixty patients with proximal ureteral stones from July 2019 to July 2020 were included and randomly divided into 2 groups using a random number generator program (version 2, 2015). In Group 1, the stones were fragmented into dust (n = 30), and in Group 2, lithotripsy produced extractable fragments (n = 30). Results. In this study, the Ho:YAG laser was used to dust stones at low energy and high frequency (0.4–0.6 J and 20–30 Hz). Using the Ho:YAG laser set to high energy and low frequency (1.5–2 J and 8–10 Hz), stone fragmentation was achieved. The mean stone size was 1.63 cm in Group 1 and 1.69 cm in Group 2. The stone-free rates for the dusting and fragmentation groups were 96.6% and 86.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean operative time was 87.6 ± 33.6 minutes in the dusting group and 80.4 ± 28.8 minutes in the fragmentation group. There were no postoperative complications with the dusting technique, compared with a 13.3% complication rate with the fragmentation technique. Conclusions. For proximal ureteral stones, the stone-free rates between the dusting and fragmentation procedures were comparable. Both techniques proved to be effective.
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spelling doaj-art-df17f9eef6b849f88fc8eb2d07d90bdc2025-08-20T02:56:23ZengWolters Kluwer HealthCurrent Urology1661-76492025-07-0119425726210.1097/CU9.0000000000000285202507000-00005Dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy: A prospective randomized studySamer Morsy0Ahmed Essam1Islam Nasser2Mohamed Elsheikh3Sherif Abdel Rahman4Kareem Daw5Kasr Al Ainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptKasr Al Ainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptKasr Al Ainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptKasr Al Ainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptKasr Al Ainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptKasr Al Ainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptAbstract. Background. Recent advances in endoscopic technology have empowered urologists to treat most types of stones within the urinary tract effectively. Available treatments for ureteral stones using a laser lithotripter include fragmentation, the active removal of fragments with a basket, and dusting. To date, only a few prospective randomized studies have endorsed the use of stone dusting, fragmentation, and active removal for ureteric stones. Materials and methods. This randomized, prospective, comparative study was conducted in the Urology Department. Sixty patients with proximal ureteral stones from July 2019 to July 2020 were included and randomly divided into 2 groups using a random number generator program (version 2, 2015). In Group 1, the stones were fragmented into dust (n = 30), and in Group 2, lithotripsy produced extractable fragments (n = 30). Results. In this study, the Ho:YAG laser was used to dust stones at low energy and high frequency (0.4–0.6 J and 20–30 Hz). Using the Ho:YAG laser set to high energy and low frequency (1.5–2 J and 8–10 Hz), stone fragmentation was achieved. The mean stone size was 1.63 cm in Group 1 and 1.69 cm in Group 2. The stone-free rates for the dusting and fragmentation groups were 96.6% and 86.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean operative time was 87.6 ± 33.6 minutes in the dusting group and 80.4 ± 28.8 minutes in the fragmentation group. There were no postoperative complications with the dusting technique, compared with a 13.3% complication rate with the fragmentation technique. Conclusions. For proximal ureteral stones, the stone-free rates between the dusting and fragmentation procedures were comparable. Both techniques proved to be effective.http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CU9.0000000000000285
spellingShingle Samer Morsy
Ahmed Essam
Islam Nasser
Mohamed Elsheikh
Sherif Abdel Rahman
Kareem Daw
Dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy: A prospective randomized study
Current Urology
title Dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy: A prospective randomized study
title_full Dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy: A prospective randomized study
title_fullStr Dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy: A prospective randomized study
title_full_unstemmed Dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy: A prospective randomized study
title_short Dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy: A prospective randomized study
title_sort dusting versus fragmentation for large proximal ureteral stones during flexible ureteroscopy a prospective randomized study
url http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CU9.0000000000000285
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