Abstract:Objective To investigated the impact of a preexistent ureteral stent on the success rate of flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy for renal calculi. Methods 156 patients with renal calculi were randomly divided into two groups: 82 patients were treated by flexible ureteroscopy without preexistent ureteral stent and 74 patients with preexistent ureteral stent. Preoperative patient characteristics, radiographic stone size, operation time, success rate of lithotripsy, serious complications were recorded. Result No serious complication occurred in two groups. Between two groups, there were no difference in terms of patient age, stone side, stone size, stone number (P < 0.05). Flexible ureteroscopy were successful placed in all patients in the control group, and the success rate was 93.9% in the observation group, there was no difference between two groups (P > 0.05). The success rate of ureteral access sheath placement was 84.2% in the observation group, and it was 97.2% in the control group. The success rate of lithotripsy was 87.8% in the observation group, it was 91.9% in the other group, there was no difference between two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions It can increase the success rate of ureteral access sheath placement that indwelled ureteral stent pre-operation, but it can't increase the success rate of lithotripsy. It was safe and reliable procedure with good results, minimal surgical morbidity that lithotripsy by flexible ureteroscopy without preexistent ureteral stent.