Efficacy and safety of lithotripsy with ureteroscopy for ureteral stones in octogenarians.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of lithotripsy with ureteroscopy for managing ureteral stone in octogenarian patients.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study analyzed 314 patients who underwent retrograde lithotripsy with ureteroscopy for ureteral stones between January 2018 and August 2024. Patients were categorized into two groups based on age: the octogenarian group (⩾80 years) and the younger patient group (<80 years). Clinical parameters, including the stone-free rate, postoperative length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications, were compared. To minimize confounding variables, 1:1 propensity score matching was performed, resulting in 41 patients in each group.

Results: After propensity score matching, no significant differences in baseline clinical characteristics between the groups. Additionally, no statistically significant differences were observed in the stone-free rate, postoperative length of hospital stay, or postoperative complication rates between the two cohorts.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that lithotripsy with ureteroscopy is an effective and safe treatment option for ureteral stones in carefully selected octogenarian patients.