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 Sw...

A postoperative T tube cholangiogram after cholecystectomy in a 62 year old patient showed two retained calculi of 14 mm diameter each. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was not possible because of previous Billroth II gastrectomy. The stones were disintegrated by electromagnetically generated extracorporeal shock waves. The T tube was replaced by a balloon catheter and the papilla of Vater was dilatat...

PURPOSE Strontium has chemical similarity to calcium, which enables the replacement of calcium by strontium in biomineralization processes. Incorporating strontium into human bone and teeth has been studied extensively but little research has been performed of the incorporation of strontium into urinary calculi. We used synchrotron based x-ray fluorescence and x-ray absorption techniques to exa...

cystic duct and stone removal were performed under a preoperative diagnosis of chronic cholecystitis (adenomyomatosis) and stone-induced dilated cystic duct. Macroscopically, the gallbladder showed chronic cholecystitis with segmental adenomyomatosis ( fig. 2 ). The cystic duct retained the spiral valve, but was significantly dilated with wall thickening. Histopathologically, chronic cholecysti...

PURPOSE To report the authors' experience with percutaneous papillary balloon dilation for extrahepatic bile duct stone clearance to the duodenum in 300 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS During a 16-year period, 300 patients with extrahepatic bile duct stones who underwent papillary balloon dilation were retrospectively evaluated. Two hundred eighty-six patients with retained extrahepatic bile ...

Patients 120 men (mean age 45 y) who had idiopathic hypercalciuria (urinary calcium excretion > 300 mg/d) on an unrestricted diet, recurrent formation of calcium oxalate stones ( ≥ 2 colic episodes with expulsion of stones or radiographic evidence of retained stones), no known condition commonly associated with calcium nephrolithiasis, no previous visit to a stone disease centre, and no current...