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Not yet recruitingNCT06722703Updated Dec 9, 2024

ESWL Vs Flexible Uretroscopy in Management of Upper Ureteric Stones a Prospective Randomized Study

An interventional study of shock wave lithotripsy and Flexible ureteroscope lithotripsy in Stone Ureter, sponsored by Assiut University. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-12-09.

Sponsored by Assiut University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Jan 2026, 10 months ago, but the record still lists the study as not yet recruiting.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
42
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

This comparison between ESWL and flexible ureteroscopy aims to explore the efficacy, safety, and outcomes of these treatments for upper ureteric stones under 15 mm, focusing on stone-free rates, procedural risks, recovery times, and recurrence rates. A thorough understanding of these techniques is essential for optimizing patient outcomes and personalizing treatment strategies.

study aim to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and cost of SWL compared to flexible uretroscopy in management patients with upper ureteric stone less than 15 mm in size

Read the detailed description

The management of upper ureteric stones, particularly those less than 15 mm in size, has seen significant advancements with the development of minimally invasive techniques. Urolithiasis is a common condition, and selecting the most appropriate treatment is crucial for effective stone clearance and minimizing complications. Two widely used approaches in treating upper ureteric stones are Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) and Flexible Ureteroscopy (FURS).

ESWL, a non-invasive procedure, uses focused shock waves to fragment the stone into smaller pieces that can be passed naturally through the urinary tract. Its non-invasiveness makes it an attractive option for many patients; however, its success is influenced by factors such as stone composition, location, and patient anatomy. In contrast, Flexible Ureteroscopy (FURS) is a minimally invasive endoscopic technique where a flexible ureteroscope is passed through the urinary tract to directly visualize and fragment the stone using a laser (usually a Holmium: YAG laser). This method allows for a more targeted approach and is often used when ESWL is less effective or contraindicated.

ESWL and FURS have distinct advantages and limitations, and the choice between them depends on factors including stone size, density, location, and patient-specific considerations such as body habitus and anatomical variations.

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Conditions studied

  • Stone Ureter

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Keywords

  • upper ureteric stones
  • ESWL
  • flexible uretroscopy
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In context

Ureterolithiasis

84 studies on the registry are indexed under Ureterolithiasis; 19 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 42 is below the median of 101 across 66 interventional studies indexed under Ureterolithiasis.

Browse Ureterolithiasis studies →

Lead sponsor

Assiut University is the lead sponsor of 5,078 studies on the registry; 2,178 are open to participants now.

Of its 14 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • patients age>18 years old. Stone site: upper ureteric stone. Stone side: unilateral stones Stone size: stones diameter up to 1cm Stone number: single or multiple Radio-opaque stone

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients with solitary kidney or only function kidney renal impairment present of distal obstruction pregnancy, current breast feeding. Bleeding tendency or anticoagulation. ipsilateral ureterolithiasis, Acute or chronic nephritis, or Renal tuberculosis aneurysm of the aorta or renal artery. inability to position the patient on the SWL table (eg, due to severe skeletal deformity or morbid obesity).

radiolucent stones that are not visible on ultrasound. severe metabolic disturbances (eg, cystinuria, primary hyperparathyroidism, or renal tubular acidosis)

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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
42 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    ESWL group

    The surgical technique of shock wave lithotripsy

    Procedure: shock wave lithotripsy

  • Experimental
    FURS group

    Flexible ureteroscope lithotripsy

    Procedure: Flexible ureteroscope lithotripsy

Interventions

  • Procedureshock wave lithotripsy

    Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy will be performed using a third-generation electromagnetic lithotripter The focal depth is 110 mm; the focal area is 7 mm (radial) and 45-50 mm (axial), and the focal pressure is 6-30 MPa). The procedure is performed in a supine or prone position without anesthesia. Stone localization and simultaneous real-time monitoring during the process will be performed by ultrasound). The shock frequency is 60-90 (shock waves/min). The total number of shock waves applied for one session is between 1500 and 2500 waves, or the session is stopped at a significant stone fragmentation is detected. The voltage applied per session ranged from 10 to 16 kV with stepwise power ramping strategy. All procedures in the SWL group are outpatient procedures.

  • ProcedureFlexible ureteroscope lithotripsy

    All F-URS cases will be performed by a single surgeon (HMI). A guidewire is placed in the upper urinary tract through a rigid cystoscope under fluoroscopic guidance. An 8-10 F dual lumen catheter is used to dilate the intramural ureter and to fix a second guidewire with hydrophilic coat. The 7.5 F flexible ureteroscope is passed into the upper urinary tract in a monorail fashion over the second wire. A holmium-YAG laser is used at an energy setting of 0.8-1 J and a rate of 10-15 Hz. A 200 µm laser fibre is used for delivering laser energy to the stones. A 2.2 F tipless nitinol basket is used to displace the stones from the lower pole to an upper pole calyx before disintegration. Adequate fragmentation is considered when fragments are smaller than the diameter of the guide wire. Stone fragments will be left for spontaneous passage. At the end of the procedure, the whole collecting system will be inspected for residual stones and a double pigtail ureteric stent will be left for 2 weeks t

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The stone-free rate (SFR)

    The stone-free rate (SFR) is defined as no evidence of clinically significant stone fragments (≥ 4 mm in size) in combination with a plain X-ray of the urinary tract (KUB) and urinary ultrasound one month after SWL or F-URS

    Time frame: 1 month

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Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

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References and documents

Publications

  • Yuri P, Hariwibowo R, Soeroharjo I, Danarto R, Hendri AZ, Brodjonegoro SR, Rasyid N, Birowo P, Widyahening IS. Meta-analysis of Optimal Management of Lower Pole Stone of 10 - 20 mm: Flexible Ureteroscopy (FURS) versus Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) versus Percutaneus Nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Acta Med Indones. 2018 Jan;50(1):18-25. PubMed 29686172 ↗
  • Jahrreiss V, Seitz C, Quhal F. Medical management of urolithiasis: Great efforts and limited progress. Asian J Urol. 2024 Apr;11(2):149-155. doi: 10.1016/j.ajur.2023.05.001. Epub 2023 Jun 29. PubMed 38680579 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 9, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06722703
Lead sponsor
Assiut University
Responsible party
Taha Abdulrahim Bassery Bakhit (resident doctor at urology department Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 9, 2024
Start date
Jan 1, 2025 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Feb 1, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Dec 9, 2024

Study contacts

Taha Abdulrahim Bassery Bakhit, resident doctor
Contact
Bassrytaha123@gmail.com
+2 01016766014

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Dec 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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