Aim of the work: To assess the efficacy and safety of Stone Cone during ureteroscopic pneumatic lithotripsy of proximal ureteric calculi.
Setting and design: From June 2009 to June 2010, 119 patients were included and underwent ureteroscopic management of proximal ureteric calculi with the help of Stone Cone and pneumatic disintegration.
Material and method: Our patients were divided into 2 groups. Ureteroscopic management of proximal ureteric calculi with pneumatic lithotripsy was done in group 1, and ureteroscopic management of upper ureteric stones with the help of Stone Cone and pneumatic lithotripsy was done in group 2.
Results: Patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 62 patients that underwent standard ureteroscopic pneumatic lithotripsy without Stone Cone. Group 2 included 57 patients that underwent pneumatic lithotripsy using Stone Cone as ureteral occlusion during ureteroscopy. The success rate was 87% in group 1 and 94.7% in group 2. The complication rate ranged from 3.5 to 8%. There were 4 cases of haematuria (6.4%) and one case of ureteral perforation (1.6%) in group 1. In group 2, 2 cases (3.5%) of haematuria occurred. Operative time was highly significant in group 2 and not in group 1; it was 20 to 35 minutes in group 2 versus 30 to 50 minutes in group 1.
Conclusion: Stone Cone is an instrument used during ureteroscopi lithotripsy of proximal ureteric calculi. It can be considered a very effective instrument in blocking the upward migration of ureteric calculi, enabling its safe removal.

KEYWORDS: Proximal ureteric calculi; Stone Cone; Pneumatic lithotripsy; Ureteroscopy

CORRESPONDENCE: Ahmed Shelbaia, Urology Department, Cairo University Hospital, Borg El Atbaa, Faisal Street, Cairo, Egypt (ahmedshelbaia2007@hotmail)

CITATION: Urotoday Int J. 2011 Dec;4(6):art68. http://dx.doi.org/10.3834/uij.1944-5784.2011.12.01