How to manage a patient with ureteric calculi and hydronephrosis?

Management of Ureteric Calculi with Hydronephrosis

For ureteric calculi with hydronephrosis, ureteroscopy (URS) is the primary treatment modality, achieving stone-free rates of 81-94% depending on stone location, with conservative management reserved only for stones <10mm when pain is controlled, renal function is adequate, and there is no evidence of sepsis. 1, 2

Initial Assessment and Risk Stratification

Imaging Confirmation

• Low-dose CT without contrast is the diagnostic modality of choice to confirm stone location, size, and degree of hydronephrosis 1, 3
• Moderate to severe hydronephrosis on ultrasound indicates higher risk of stone passage failure and warrants definitive imaging 1

Clinical Evaluation for Urgent Intervention

• Check for fever, leukocytosis, or signs of sepsis—these are absolute contraindications to conservative management 1, 4
• Assess renal function and determine if solitary kidney is present 1, 4
• Obtain urine culture before any intervention 4, 2

Management Algorithm Based on Stone Size and Clinical Status

Stones <10mm with Mild-Moderate Hydronephrosis

• Conservative management is acceptable if pain is well-controlled with oral analgesics, no sepsis is present, and renal function is maintained 4, 3
• Offer medical expulsive therapy (MET) with alpha-blockers alongside observation 4, 3
• Maximum duration of conservative treatment is 4-6 weeks from initial presentation 4, 2
• Abort conservative management immediately if intractable pain, urinary tract infection, progressive renal dysfunction, or worsening hydronephrosis develop 4

Stones >10mm or Severe Hydronephrosis

• Surgical intervention is required—spontaneous passage rate for stones >10mm is negligible 2
• For proximal/mid ureteral stones: flexible URS achieves 87% stone-free rates 2
• For distal ureteral stones: rigid or semirigid URS achieves 94% stone-free rates 2
• Holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy is the preferred fragmentation method 2

Alternative to URS: Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL)

• SWL can be effective for upper ureteral calculi with mild hydronephrosis, with 71.3% success rate as solo therapy 5
• Avoid SWL in severe hydronephrosis—mean clearance time is 85.6 days versus 31.7 days in patients without hydronephrosis, and alternative/adjunctive procedures are recommended 5
• SWL is less invasive but requires longer clearance time (mean 56 days) and may necessitate secondary interventions in moderate-to-severe hydronephrosis 5

Management of Sepsis and Obstructing Stones

Urgent Decompression Protocol

• For septic patients with obstructing stones, urgent decompression of the collecting system is mandatory with either percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) or ureteral stenting 1
• Definitive treatment of the stone must be delayed until sepsis is resolved 1
• Establish drainage immediately, obtain urine culture, and continue broad-spectrum antibiotics 4

Choice of Drainage: PCN vs Ureteral Stent

• Both PCN and ureteral stent are equally effective in obstructive pyelonephritis/pyonephrosis 1
• PCN is associated with higher spontaneous stone passage rates when adjusted for stone size (OR = 6667) and better quality of life with fewer urinary symptoms 6
• PCN causes less hematuria (16.7% vs 68.7% with stent) and less dysuria (16.7% vs 78.3% with stent) 6
• Consider PCN for high anesthesia risk patients or pyonephrosis requiring larger tube decompression 7

Stenting Strategy Post-URS

When to Omit Stenting

• Routine post-URS stenting is unnecessary after uncomplicated procedures and may increase morbidity 7
• Stenting can be safely omitted when: no ureteral injury occurred, no stricture present, normal contralateral kidney function, no renal impairment, no secondary URS planned, and minimal residual fragments 7

Mandatory Indications for Stenting

• Ureteral trauma or perforation during procedure 1, 7
• Significant bleeding requiring tamponade 7
• Pre-existing ureteral stricture 1, 7
• Solitary kidney 1, 7
• Renal insufficiency 1, 7
• Large residual stone burden 1, 7
• Active UTI or sepsis at time of procedure 7

Antibiotic Prophylaxis

• Administer antimicrobial prophylaxis within 60 minutes prior to any endoscopic stone intervention 4
• Use single oral or IV dose covering gram-positive and gram-negative uropathogens 4
• Base antibiotic selection on prior urine culture results and local antibiogram 4

Special Populations

Pregnancy

• Begin evaluation with ultrasonography to avoid ionizing radiation 1
• URS has been successfully performed in pregnant patients with very low morbidity 1
• Holmium laser has minimal tissue penetration, theoretically limiting risk of fetal injury 1

Pediatric Patients

• Both SWL and URS are effective, with treatment choices based on child's size and urinary tract anatomy 1
• The small size of pediatric ureter and urethra favors the less invasive approach of SWL 1

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Never perform blind basketing without endoscopic visualization—high risk of ureteral injury 2
• Do not delay intervention in patients with severe hydronephrosis—progressive renal damage can become irreversible 8
• Avoid reflexive stenting "just to be safe" after straightforward procedures—stent-related morbidity is substantial 7
• Do not attempt conservative management beyond 4-6 weeks—risk of permanent kidney injury increases 4, 2