The use of flexible ureteroscopy is required to improve stone-free rates in ureteroscopy for proximal ureteral stones

Introduction: The main target in the treatment of proximal ureteral stones (PUS) is to provide a high stone-free rate (SFR) with low morbidity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the need for flexible ureteroscopy (URS) by retrospectively examining one surgeon’s two-year experience of URS for PUS in a center where the flexible ureteroscope and holmium laser lithotriptor are available. Patients and methods: The medical records of all patients who underwent URS due to PUS by a single surgeon from November 2016 to November 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. Success was accepted as patient with no stones or clinically insignificant residual fragments ( 5 cm to UPJ, two of nine stones required the use of flexible URS. 34 of 40 stones with a distance of