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Case Reports
. 2024 Nov 30;13(11):2644-2650.
doi: 10.21037/tau-24-315. Epub 2024 Nov 27.

First use and evaluation of a novel 6.3 Fr disposable flexible ureteroscope for stone management in duplex kidney: a case report

Lin Xiong  1 , Kristine J S Kwan  2   3 , Xiang Xu  1 , Geng-Geng Wei  1 , Ming-Chi Wang  1 , Zhen-Quan Lu  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

First use and evaluation of a novel 6.3 Fr disposable flexible ureteroscope for stone management in duplex kidney: a case report

Lin Xiong et al. Transl Androl Urol. .

Abstract

Background: Flexible ureteroscopy (FURS) is increasingly used as the first-line treatment for urological procedures. Disposable digital (dd-)FURS has been developed to overcome limitations such as durability, degradation, and repair cost of reusable scopes. The diameter of commercially-available models ranges from 7.5-9.9 Fr. This study aimed to report the first clinical application of a novel 6.3 Fr HU30M HugeMed dd-FURS.

Case description: We present the case of a 61-year-old female diagnosed with a left ureteric (8 mm × 7 mm) and two renal stones (6 mm × 5 mm and 5 mm × 3 mm) located at both moieties of her duplex kidney. She was opted for elective flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy. The 6.3 Fr dd-FURS was preferred to overcome the challenging anatomy. No intra-/peri-operative complication was observed and the patient made an uneventful recovery. Complete stone clearance was achieved based on 2-week follow-up computed tomography (CT).

Conclusions: The application of the 6.3 Fr dd-FURS demonstrated its feasibility, safety, and efficacy in stone retrieval. However, a thin device has its limitations, including its stiffness and working space area. Adaptation to the device during procedures or further improvements may be necessitated. Yet, this scope has potential in the management of pediatric urology procedures and complex upper urinary tracts.

Keywords: Digital flexible ureteroscope; case report; disposable; flexible ureteroscopy (FURS); single-use.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://tau.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/tau-24-315/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Preoperative computed tomography of the patient revealing a left duplex kidney with upper ureteric stone (yellow arrows) and renal stones (green arrows).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Postoperative follow-up (A) computed tomography image showing no residual stone and (B) X-ray showing intact double-J stents placed in the duplicated ureters.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Clear intraoperative image visualized with the 6.3 Fr disposable digital flexible ureteroscope.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Comparison of different HugeMed disposable digital flexible ureteroscopes with tip diameters 9.0, 7.5, and 6.3 Fr (from top to bottom). Grip handles and ports are of similar design.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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