Is stenting required before retrograde intrarenal surgery with access sheath

BACKGROUND: Flexible ureterorenoscopies continue to assume an increasing role in the armamentarium of the endourologist. In many centers around the world, prior stenting is carried out before retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) to passively dilate the ureter, which facilitates passage of a flexible ureteroscope with or without an access sheath. In our series, the first stage of passive dilatation with prior stenting was totally avoided without compromising the success of the procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2004 to December 2007, 54 patients with 55 renal units underwent RIRS. The patients were between 28 and 65 years old. All patients had renal stones ranging in size from 8 mm to 22 mm. The mean serum creatinine level was 1.1 mg%. The lower ureter was dilated under ‘C - arm’ fluoroscopy guidance up to 14 FR. An access sheath of 10/12 Fr was passed over the working guide wire. RIRS (7.5/9.3 Fr) was introduced into the access sheath. The stones were fragmented using a holmium laser. The mean operating time was 85 mins (45-130 mins). RESULTS: In 52 out of 55 renal units (94.5%), a flexible ureteroscope could be passed successfully into the kidney through an access sheath. In 3 of the cases (5.4%), the lower ureter could not be dilated. In these patients, the procedure was staged after passing a 6/26 JJ stent. An X-ray KUB was done at the 3-month follow-up visit. A total of 50 renal units (94.3%) were stone free at the 3-month follow-up visit. CONCLUSION: In a majority of the cases, RIRS could be accomplished successfully during the first sitting. Single stage RIRS did not alter the subsequent stone clearance or increase the incidence of morbidity or complications.