Treatment of Complex Whole Liver Intrahepatic Ductal Stones Using a Patented Stone-Clearance Sheath Combined with Nephroscopic Holmium Laser Lithotripsy

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the clinical efficacy of nephroscopic laser lithotripsy with the aid of a patented suctioning sheath in treating complicated whole-liver dispersed intrahepatic ductal stones. Methods: From September 2013 to September 2017, 150 patients who were diagnosed with whole-liver dispersed intrahepatic ductal stones were included in this study and were divided into two groups randomly. The control group consists of 75 patients who were treated by traditional surgery combined with choledochoscopic laser lithotripsy. The observation group consists of the other 75 patients who were treated by traditional surgery combined with nephroscopic laser lithotripsy with the aid of the patented sheath. Related treatment outcome parameters were compared. Results: There were no significant differences in first surgery operative time, first surgery bleeding amount, complication and stone clearance rates (P>0.05). However, the second surgery operative time was (63.58±9.84) min while the complication rate was 7.5% in the observation group, significantly less than that of control group (P<0.05). There were significantly higher first-stage and second stage sinus ductal stone clearance rates and final stone clearance rate in the observation group compared to that of control group (P<0.05), while operative times, hospitalization duration and cost, and one year stone recurrent rate were significantly lower (P<0.05). Conclusion: The efficacy of using the patented stone-clearance sheath combined with nephroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy was significant, warrants more extensive clinical adoption.