Clinical Advances and Current Status in the Treatment of Ureteral Calculi.

Ureteral calculi are a common urological disease with a consistently high incidence and an increasing trend each year. Ureteral calculi treatment is an essential and hot topic in the urology field and holds a vital status in the urological work system. Recently, with rapid advances in urology, there have been continuous updates and developments in treatment modalities, and many new methods and techniques have emerged and are being applied in clinical settings; This has effectively improved the clinical treatment outcomes of individuals with ureteral calculi. However, each treatment modality has its specific indications, and owing to the uneven distribution of medical resources and the effect of the patients' conditions and nature of the stones, standardization and randomness in selecting the treatment regimens for ureteral calculi are lacking. Therefore, selecting the diagnostic and therapeutic plan is vital for improving treatment efficacy. In this review, we summarize the findings of recent domestic and international studies to provide an outline of the progress and current status of ureteral calculi treatment from aspects such as pharmacotherapy, surgery, and minimally invasive treatment to provide a basis for treating this disease in clinical settings.

CT-based radiomics for predicting success of shock wave lithotripsy in ureteral stones larger than 1 cm.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the predictive value of CT-based radiomics in determining the success of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) treatment for ureteral stones larger than 10mm in adult patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 301 eligible patients (165/136 successful/unsuccessful) who underwent SWL were retrospectively evaluated and divided into a training cohort (n = 241) and a test cohort (n = 60) following an 8:2 ratio. Univariate analysis was performed to assess clinical characteristics for constructing a nomogram. Radiomics and conventional radiological characteristics of stones were evaluated. Following feature selection, radiomics and radiological models were constructed using logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), K nearest neighbor (KNN), and XGBoost. The models' performance was compared using metrics such as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), precision, recall, accuracy, and F1 score. Finally, a nomogram was created incorporating the best image model signature and clinical predictors. RESULTS: The SVM-based radiomics model showed superior predictive performance in both training and test cohorts (AUC: 0.956, 0.891, respectively). The nomogram, which combined SVM-based radiomics signature with proximal ureter diameter (PUD), demonstrated further improved predictive performance in the test cohort (AUC: 0.891 vs. 0.939, P = 0.166). CONCLUSIONS: Integration of CT-derived radiomics and PUD showed excellent ability to predict SWL treatment success in patients with ureteral stones larger than 10mm, providing a promising approach for clinical decision-making.

Impact of previously failed extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy on ureterorenoscopy outcomes in upper urinary tract stones: a prospective comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to prospectively evaluate the impact of previously failed SWL on subsequent URS outcomes in the treatment of upper urinary tract stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 2021 and May 2023, one hundred thirty-six patients with proximal ureteral stones < 1.5 cm and renal stones < 2.5 cm who were candidates for URS were prospectively assigned to a non-SWL group, which included patients without a history of failed SWL before URS, and a post-SWL group, which included patients with a history of failed SWL before URS. The success rate was the primary outcome. The perioperative data of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The stone-free rate was 83.3% in the post-SWL group versus 81.3% in the non-SWL group, and 8.3% in the post-SWL group versus 9.4% in the non-SWL group had clinically insignificant residual fragments. There was no significant difference in the stone-free rate or success rate between the groups. No significant differences in intraoperative fluoroscopy time, operative time, intraoperative stone appearance, perioperative complications, or the presence of embedded fragments in the ureteral mucosa were detected between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with patients who underwent primary URS, patients who underwent salvage URS for upper urinary tract stones had similar stone-free rates, success rates, operative times, fluoroscopy times, and complication rates without any significant differences.

[Efficacy and safety of flexible ureteral lithotripsy for upper urinary tract calculi in patients aged 80 years and older].

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of flexible ureteral lithotripsy (FURL) for treating upper urinary tract calculi in patients ≥80 years. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 297 elderly patients who underwent FURL for unilateral upper urinary tract calculi at Beijing Hospital from January 2019 to September 2023. Patients were divided into elderly group (≥80 years) and low-middle aged group (≥60-<80 years). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match preoperative clinical data of patients. After PSM, the basic, perioperative and postoperative data of the two groups were compared. Results: After PSM, 116 patients were enrolled, including 58 patients in each group. The age [M (Q1, Q3)] of elderly group was 83.0 (81.0, 86.0) years, which included 29 males. The age of low-middle aged group was 69.5 (64.8, 74.0) years, which included 33 males. The duration of postoperative hospitalization [M (Q1, Q3)] in elderly group was longer than that in low-middle aged group [2 (1, 3) d vs 1 (1, 2) d, P=0.002]. Serious postoperative complications occurred in 3 cases in the elderly group and 1 case in the low-middle aged group, respectively, without surgical intervention. There was no significant statistical difference in stone-free rate (SFR) [79.3% (46/58) vs 84.5% (49/58)], operation time [M (Q1, Q3), 70.0 (48.3, 100.0) vs 65.0 (46.5, 101.2) min] and postoperative complication rate [25.9% (15/58) vs 22.4% (13/58)] between two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: In the treatment of upper urinary tract calculi in patients ≥80 years, the SFR, operation time and postoperative complication rate of FURL are comparable to those in low-middle aged elderly patients. FURL has good safety and effectiveness in the treatment of upper urinary tract calculi in patients ≥80 years.

Effects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on Mental Health and Sleep in Acute Kidney Injury Patients with Ureteral Calculi in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) resulting from ureteral stones in the emergency department is typically accompanied with anxiety and sleep issues in patients, which can have adverse effects on their mental health and quality of life. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is helpful in improving mental health and sleep. This work aims to analyse the effects of CBT on mental health and sleep of AKI patients caused by ureteral calculi in the emergency department. METHODS: The clinical data of patients with AKI caused by ureteral calculi in the emergency department of our hospital from February 2021 to February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the control group (routine nursing) and observation group (cognitive behavioural nursing) according to the different nursing methods of data recording. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to balance the confounding factors of the two groups. After matching, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Adult (MUIS) and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After matching at a ratio of 1:1, 130 patients were included in the observation group and the control group, with 65 cases in each group. No significant difference was observed in STAI, ISI, MUIS and SF-36 scores between the two groups before nursing (p > 0.05). After nursing, the STAI, ISI and MUIS scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the SF-36 score of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive behavioural nursing for patients with AKI caused by ureteral calculi in the emergency department may help in retrieving patients' anxiety, reducing the severity of disease uncertainty and insomnia, improving the quality of life of patients and providing theoretical reference for clinical practice.

Application Analysis of Low-Pressure Perfusion Combined with Occluder in Holmium Laser Lithotripsy for Patients with Middle and Upper Ureteral Calculi.

BACKGROUND: Ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy has become one of the main methods of treating ureteral calculi. However, in the treatment of middle and upper ureteral calculi, ureteroscopy is difficult to operate owing to the high location of calculi. Thus, how to improve the treatment effect and reduce the stone migration has become the focus in clinical settings. On this basis, we evaluated the application effect of low-pressure perfusion combined with occluder in holmium laser lithotripsy for patients with middle and upper ureteral calculi. METHODS: This retrospective study selected 107 patients with middle and upper ureteral calculi who underwent low-pressure perfusion combined with ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy from January 2021 to December 2022. We excluded 7 patients who did not meet the criteria, and ultimately included 100 patients. According to whether the occluder was used during the surgery, 100 patients were divided into groups A (n = 52, occluder) and B (n = 48, without occluder). The stone-migration rate during surgery, stone-clearance rate at 3 months after surgery, perioperative indicators, postoperative complication rate, and postoperative quality of life between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The stone-migration rate in group A was significantly lower than that in group B, with statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). Both groups had no significant difference in stone-clearance rate at 3 months after surgery (p > 0.05). Group A had a significantly lower index of EuroQol (EQ) Five Dimensions Questionnaire and significantly higher score of EQ-Visual Analogue Scale than group B (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the simple application of low-pressure perfusion, the combined application of low-pressure perfusion and occluder in ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy can effectively reduce the stone migration and improve the postoperative quality of life.

The Effect of High- and Low-power Holmium Laser Settings for Transurethral Lithotripsy in the Management of Adults with Ureteral Stone.

Since there is insufficient evidence to determine the best treatment of transurethral laser lithotripsy (TLL) in ureteral stones, this study compared the effectiveness and safety of TLL using high-power (HP) (100 W) and low-power (LP) (20 W) laser settings. All patients with maximally sized ureteral stones who were planned for transurethral holmium laser lithotripsy were enrolled in this open study. One of the two laser setting groups-LP or HP-was allocated to each alternate patient. Using IBM SPSS Statistics 24, the treatment groups were compared for operating time, intraoperative and postoperative problems (up to 1 year), and rates of stone-free recovery. Welch tests were employed to compare continuous data, whereas Fisher's exact or Chi-square tests were used to assess categorical variables. At P < 0.05, statistical significance was established. A total of 207 individuals were included and preoperative data were comparable between the two groups. The HP group had a considerably greater ablation rate and a significantly shorter procedure duration (42.61 ± 11.74 min) than the LP group (78.56 ± 25.91 min) ( P = 0.025). The Overactive Bladder Symptom Score and International Prostate Symptom Score were considerably higher in the HP group than in the LP group. Treatment effectiveness was considerably impacted by the location of the ureteral stone, according to univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. A HP laser setting of up to 100 W greatly shortens the duration of the process for treating ureteral stones without raising the risk of problems.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy versus laser lithotripsy in the treatment of post-SWL steinstrasse: a randomized comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of Holmium laser lithotripsy with that of extracorporeal shock lithotripsy (SWL) for post-SWL ureteral steinstrasse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2022 to July 2023, 36 patients with post-SWL ureteral steinstrasse were randomly divided into laser lithotripsy and SWL groups. Patients with pain, moderate to marked hydronephrosis, large leading stone fragments, and showing no spontaneous resolution within 3-4 weeks after medical expulsive therapy were included. Patients with sepsis were excluded. The success rate was the primary outcome. We compared the perioperative data between the groups. RESULTS: The success rate was higher in the ureteroscopy group than in the SWL group (p = 0.034). SWL was a significantly longer operation, and the fluoroscopy time was significantly longer in the SWL group than in the URS group (p = 0.027). Auxiliary procedures were more frequently performed in the SWL group than in the URS group (p = 0.02). JJ stents were inserted in 100% of patients in the URS group. Three patients (16.7%) underwent conversion to laser ureteroscopy after the second SWL session failed. No significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications was observed between the groups, but the incidence of postoperative LUT was high in the ureteroscopy group. The mean hospital stay was 30 h in the ureteroscopy group. SWL was performed without the need for hospital admission. CONCLUSION: Ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy for steinstrasse was safe and effective, with a higher success rate, shorter fluoroscopy time, and shorter recovery period than SWL.

Bilateral ureteral stones; factors affecting treatment decision.

AIM: To evaluate certain factors that may affect the decision-making process for the rational management approach in cases presenting with bilateral ureteral stones. METHODS: A total of 153 patients presenting with bilateral ureteral stones from 6 centers were evaluated and divided in three groups. Group 1 (n:21) Patients undergoing DJ stent insertion in one ureter and ureterorenoscopic (URS) lithotripsy for the contralateral ureteral stone. Group 2 (n:91), URS lithotripsy for both ureteral stones and Group 3 (n:41) patients undergoing bilateral DJ stent insertion. The outcomes of the procedures and the relevant patient as well as stone related factors have been comparatively evaluated in three groups. RESULTS: While associated UTI rates and serum creatinine levels were significantly higher in bilateral DJ group, previous URS history was found to be significantly higher in cases undergoing bilateral URS than those undergoing bilateral DJ stenting. URS was performed significantly more often in cases with lower ureteral stones and DJ stenting seems to be more rational approach in upper ureteral stones. In patients with lower ureteral stones, larger and harder stones, endourologists tended to perform URS as the first option. CONCLUSIONS: Decision making for a rational approach in cases with bilateral ureteral stones my be challenging. Our findings demonstated that serum creatinine levels, associated UTI, location and the hardness of the stone and previous ureteroscopy anamnesis could be important factors in making a decision between JJ stenting and ureteroscopic stone extraction in emergency conditions.

Rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy with a pressure-controlling ureteral access sheath for complex steinstrasse.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy with a pressure-controlling ureteral access sheath (PC-UAS) for complex steinstrasse. METHODS: Thirty-one consecutive patients (male: 18; female: 13) with steinstrasse were enrolled, six of whom had concurrent kidney stones. The mean cumulative stone size was 2.7 ± 1.3 cm. The patients were treated with rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy using a PC-UAS. The cavity pressure parameters were set as follows: control value at -15 mmHg to -2 mmHg, warning value at 20 mmHg, and limit value at 30 mmHg. The infusion flow rate was set at 150-200 ml/min. A holmium laser (550 µm) was used to powderize the stone at 2.0-2.5 J/pulse with a frequency of 20-30 pulses/s. Analyses included cavity pressure, operative time, stone-free rates, and complications. RESULTS: Among the 31 patients, 29 were successfully treated with PC-UAS, with nine requiring adjunctive flexible ureteroscopy for stone migration to the kidney. Two procedures were converted to percutaneous nephrolithotomies due to failure of sheath placement. The cavity pressure of all 29 patients was well-maintained below 20 mmHg, with clear vision. The mean operative time was 48.2 ± 17.7 min. No complications, such as ureteral perforation, mucosal avulsion, or hemorrhage, occurred. Two cases of Clavien-Dindo grade I complications occurred. No major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade II-V) occurred. The mean postoperative hospitalization time was 1.7 days. The stone-free rates 1 day and 1 month after surgery were 93.1% and 96.6%, respectively. One patient with residual stones underwent extracorporeal shockwaves. CONCLUSIONS: Rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy with PC-UAS can effectively control the cavity pressure, shorten the operation time, and improve the efficiency of broken stones, thus reducing the complication rate.

Exploring the economic landscape of ureteric stones: impact of age and gender on direct healthcare costs.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether age or gender affects ureteric stone management costs, in patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with CT proven ureteric stones. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective examination was conducted on patients admitted to the ED who were diagnosed with a ureteric stone through CT scans. Data encompassing clinical, laboratory, and imaging parameters were gathered, alongside information on admissions, ED readmissions, surgical procedures, and the overall treatment cost. Comparative analyses were performed on various cost rates in relation to different stone parameters, patient clinical presentations, laboratory results, and personal histories of urolithiasis. RESULTS: From January 2018 to January 2020, 805 patients underwent abdominal CT scans at a single institution's ED and were diagnosed with ureteric stones. Among them, 773 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 78% (609) being males and 22% (169) females. The mean ages for males and females were 49.4 (SD 14.4) and 51.6 (SD 15.7), respectively (p = 0.08). Treatment costs exhibited a direct relationship with age, amounting to 4,025, 5,116, 6,058, and 9,225 US dollars (USD) in the 18-30, 31-50, 51-70, and over 70 age groups, respectively. Female gender was associated with higher treatment costs, averaging 6,831 USD, compared to 5,450 USD in males (p = 0.03). However, there were no significant differences between genders in terms of the type of surgical procedure (p = 0.4) or hospital stay duration (p = 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Age and gender exerted a significant impact on treatment costs, revealing that advanced age and female gender were both correlated with higher direct treatment costs in the care of ureteric stones.

Optimal parameter settings of thulium fiber laser for ureteral stone lithotripsy: a comparative study in two different testing environments.

This study aims to identify optimal parameters for using Thulium fiber lasers (TFL) in ureteral stone lithotripsy to ensure laser safety and maximize efficacy. Our goal is to improve the outcomes of single-use semi-rigid ureteroscopy for treating stones located in the proximal ureter. A clinically relevant thermal testing device was designed to investigate heating effects during TFL stone fragmentation. The device was utilized to identify safe power thresholds for TFL at various irrigation rates. Three other devices were used to assess varying pulse energy effects on stone fragmentation efficiency, dusting, retropulsion, and depth of tissue vaporization. Comparative experiments in fresh porcine renal units were performed to validate the efficacy and safety of optimal TFL parameters for semi-rigid ureteroscopy in proximal ureteral stone procedures. Our study found that the improved device generated a higher thermal effect. Furthermore, the safe power threshold for laser lithotripsy increased as the irrigation rate was raised. At an irrigation rate of 40 ml/min, it is safe to use an average power of less than 30 watts. Although increasing pulse energy has a progressively lower effect on fragmentation and dust removal efficiency, it did lead to a linear increase in stone displacement and tissue vaporization depth. Thermal testing showed 20 W (53.87 ± 2.67 °C) indicating potential urothelial damage. In our study of laser lithotripsy for proximal ureteral stones, the group treated with 0.3 J pulses had several advantages compared to the 0.8 J group: Fewer large fragments (> 4 mm): 0 vs. 1.67 fragments (1-2.25), p = 0.002, a lower number of collateral tissue injuries: 0.50 (0-1.25) vs. 2.67 (2-4), p = 0.011, and lower stone retropulsion grading: 0.83 (0.75-1) vs. 1.67 (1-2), p = 0.046. There was no significant difference in operating time between the groups (443.33 ± 78.30 s vs. 463.17 ± 75.15 s, p = 0.664). These findings suggest that TFL irradiation generates a greater thermal effect compared to non-irradiated stones. Furthermore, the thermal effect during laser lithotripsy is influenced by both power and irrigation flow rate. Our study suggests that using a power below 15 W with an irrigation flow rate of 20 ml/min is safe. Moreover, a pulse energy of 0.3 J appears to be optimal for achieving the best overall stone fragmentation effect.

[Comprehensive comparative assessment of the results of treatment of patients with ureteral stones using two different methods].

AIM: To improve treatment outcomes in patients with ureteral stones by optimizing the use of noninvasive and minimally invasive techniques. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective analysis of 186 patients with ureteral stones who were treated at the "RSSPMCU" in the period from July 2020 to April 2023 was carried out. Among them, 84 were undergone to electromagnetic extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) using the Storz Modulith SLX-F2 device (Switzerland). A procedure was performed under ataralgesia. The mean stone size was 8.54+/-2.79 (4-16 mm). The average amount of shock waves per stone was 2436+/-247.78. The session duration was 19.37+/-1.86 minutes. Endoscopic procedures were performed in 102 patients. Among them, 49 stones were removed using the ureteroscopy (URS), while in 49 and 4 cases percutaneous access (PCNL) and a combination of PCNL and URS under spinal anesthesia were done, respectively. The mean stone size was 11.46+/-4.26 (5-26 mm). Holmium laser or pneumatic lithotripsy was performed. The duration of the procedure was 63.38+/-17.48 min. RESULTS: The stone density of patients undergoing ESWL was 855+/-319.84 HU, while those undergoing endoscopic procedures was 943.78+/-319.48 HU (p>0.05). The absorbed dose with ESWL was 18.73+/-4.15 mGy compared to 31.42+/-1.40 mGy for endoscopic procedures (p<0.001). A length of stay was 1.0+/-0.0 and 2.75+0.1, respectively (p<0.001). After 7-10 days, the stone free rate (SFR) was 76.2% (n=64) after ESWL and 99.02% (n=101) after endoscopic interventions (p<0.05). In the ESWL group, 3 patients received second session of ESWL for residual stones and in 9 cases URS was done. The SFR was 100% on day 45. In patients after endoscopic interventions, 1 patient underwent URS and SFR was 100% on the 15th day. CONCLUSION: In general, the endoscopic technique is superior to ESWL in patients with ureteral stones both in terms of SFR and duration of procedure, but is inferior in safety due to invasiveness and the absorbed dose. In our opinion, the key indication for endoscopic treatment should be stone size greater than 6 mm, density more than 1000 HU, and patient preference.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: retrospective study on possible predictors of treatment success and revisiting the role of non-contrast-enhanced computer tomography in kidney and ureteral stone disease.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a safe and efficient treatment option for urinary stone disease. The overall stone-free rate (SFR) varies significantly. This study aimed to assess the influence of stone size, location, stone density, and skin-to-stone distance (SSD), on the outcome of ESWL. We assessed whether pre-treatment non-contrast-enhanced CT scan (NCCT) confers significant advantages compared to kidney-ureter-bladder film (KUB) only. We reviewed the medical records of 307 cases (165 men, 142 women) with renal and ureteral stones treated consecutively at our institution with ESWL between 2020 and 2023. 44 of these underwent a NCCT. The outcome of ESWL was defined in two ways: visible stone fragmentation on KUB, and the need for further treatment. Overall success of fragmentation was 85% (261 patients). 61% of patients (n = 184) didn't need any further treatment. Stone size and location correlated significantly with treatment outcomes regarding the need for further treatment (p = 0.004) and stone fragmentation (p = 0.016), respectively. Unlike mean SSD (p = 0.462), the mean attenuation value (MAV) significantly correlated with the need for retreatment (p = 0.016). MAV seems to be a better predictor of treatment success (AUC of the ROC curve: 0.729), compared to stone size (AUC: 0.613). The difference between groups (with and without NCCT) in both treatment outcomes did not reach statistical significance. During decision-making, information regarding SSD and MAV can be useful in more dubious scenarios. However, it appears that their inclusion doesn't provide substantial advantages when compared to relying solely on KUB.

The association between renal pelvis urine density and the risk of severe infectious complications in patient with symptom-free hydronephrosis after shock wave lithotripsy: a multi-center prospective study.

Finding reliable and easy-to-obtain predictors of severe infectious complications after shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a major clinical need, particular in symptom-free hydronephrosis. Therefore, we aim to prospectively investigate the predictive value of Hounsfield units (HU) in renal pelvis urine for the risk of severe infectious complications in patients with ureteral stones and symptom-free hydronephrosis after SWL. This multi-center prospective study was conducted from June 2020 to December 2023. The HU of renal pelvis urine was measured by non-enhanced computed tomography. The severe infectious complications included systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, and septic shock. Binary logistic regression models assessed the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Finally, 1,436 patients with ureteral stones were enrolled in this study. 8.9% (128/1,436) of patients experienced severe infectious complications after SWL treatment. After adjusting confounding variables, compared with the patients in the lowest renal pelvis urine density quartile, the OR (95% CI) for the highest quartile was 32.36 (13.32, 78.60). There was a positive linear association between the HU value of renal pelvis urine and the risk of severe infectious complications after SWL (P for trend < 0.001). Furthermore, this association was also observed stratified by age, gender, BMI, stone size, stone location and hydronephrosis grade (all P for interaction > 0.05). Additionally, the nonlinear association employed by restricted cubic splines is not statistically significant (nonlinear P = 0.256). The AUROC and 95%CI of renal pelvis urine density were 0.895 (0.862 to 0.927, P value < 0.001). The cut-off value was 12.0 HU with 78.59% sensitivity and 85.94% specificity. This multi-center prospective study demonstrated a positive linear association between HU in renal pelvis urine and the risk of severe infectious complications in patients with ureteral stones and symptom-free hydronephrosis after SWL, regardless of age, gender, BMI, stone size, stone location, and hydronephrosis grade. These findings might be helpful in the SWL treatment decision-making process.