Concurrent stone stabilization improves ultrasonic and pneumatic efficacy during cystolithopaxy: an in vitro analysis

Objective To identify whether stabilization of larger bladder stones would improve the efficacy of combination (ultrasonic/pneumatic) lithotripsy in a phantom bladder stone model for percutaneous cystolithopaxy. Materials and Methods Using 1cm phantom Bego stones, a spherical model bladder was used to simulate percutaneous bladder access. A UroNet (US Endoscopy, USA) was placed alongside a Swiss Lithoclast probe through the working channel of a Storz 26Fr rigid nephroscope. Using a 30Fr working sheath, the stone was captured, and fragmented for 60seconds. Resulting fragments and irrigation were filtered through a 1mm strainer, and recorded. Five trials were performed with and without the UN. Durability was then assessed by measuring net defects, and residual grasp strength of each instrument. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviations) were used to summarize the data, and Student’s t-tests (alpha