PARIS—Flexible ureteroscopy can be an effective treatment for kidney stones in obese and overweight patients, according to data presented at the 27th Annual Congress of the European Association of Urology. The procedure is associated with a low complication rate in these patients, according to researchers.
Gökhan Atis, MD, and colleagues at Goztepe Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, studied 112 patients who underwent flexible ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy. They divided subjects into three groups based on their body mass index: ideal body weight (group 1), overweight (25-20.9 kg/m2; group 2), and obese (30 kg/m2 or greater; group 3). The three groups were similar with respect to age, gender mix, stone sizes, and stone locations. The mean number of procedures was 1.25, 1.29, and 1.33 in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The overall stone-free rates after one month were 84%, 87%, and 81%, respectively, the researchers reported. None of the differences among the three groups was significant.
In addition, the study revealed no significant differences in mean operative time, hospital length of stay, or the rate of minor complications. The mean operative time was 84.37, 88.58, and 92.2 minutes for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The mean hospital length of stay was 1.3, 1.2, and 1.4 days, respectively. Minor complications occurred in 9%, 7.3%, and 7.4% of subjects in groups 1, 2, and 3. The investigators observed no major complications.
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“The results of our study have shown that obese and overweight patients can be successfully treated ureteroscopically with low complication rates,” the researchers concluded.
