Background: Stent placement before retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) can theoretically expand the ureter to\nimprove access and remove stones. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of preoperative ureteral\nstenting on access and surgery.\nMethods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent RIRS between January 2010 and December 2016 at\nmultiple centers. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether or not a ureteral stent was inserted\npreoperatively. The characteristics of the stone (size, number, density, and location), the success rate of the access\nsheath placement, perioperative complications, operative times, hospitalization periods, the period for which the\nstents remained, postoperative urinary tract infection rates, stone-free rates, and additional treatment rates were\nanalyzed.\nResults: Overall, 727 patients were included in the study (113 were pre-stented and 614 were non-stented). The\nmedian stone size...................
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