[Endoscopic removal of renal stones through laparoscopic access of the ureter and the pelvis]

We studied the efficiency and the morbidity of endoscopic removal of kidney stones during laparoscopic removal of ureteral stone.Six patients presenting with an ureteral stone resisting to ESWL and four patients presenting with an UPJ obstruction were studied. Every patient had one to five associated kidney stones. The patients were operated with transperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy or pyeloplasty. An endoscopy of the upper urinary tract was realized during the same operating time through laparoscopic access. A flexible ureteroscope (five cases) or semi-flexible ureteroscope (one case) were used after ureterolithotomy. A fibroscope (four cases) was used before pyeloplasty. The endoscope was introduced through the port of the iliac fossa and the stones were extracted with a basket grasper. The patients were followed by abdominal plain film 12 weeks after surgery, by IPV six weeks after surgery and then annually with abdominal plain film and ultrasound.No operative complication arose. Nine of 10 patients had a complete extraction of the kidney stones (one patient had an extraction only of four out of five kidney stones). No damage of any endoscope was observed. At a minimum follow-up of 18 months, no fistula nor stenosis of the ureter was diagnosed.Endoscopic removal of kidney stones through laparoscopic access of the upper urinary tract is effective, sure and reproducible. Such procedure requires experience in laparoscopy and endoscopy of the upper urinary tract. The evaluation of this procedure must be pursued.