Comparison Between Ureterorenoscopy With Lithotripsy Alone Versus Combination With Hydrogel for Kidney Stone Removal

Summary

The incidence of kidney stones (urolithiasis) has surged in both developing and developed countries, affecting approximately 15% of the global population. From 2010 to 2019, diagnoses of kidney and ureteral stones rose by 8% in Germany, 26% in France, and 15% in England. Correspondingly, the number of surgical stone removal procedures increased by 3%, 38%, and 18%, respectively. Common treatments include extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureterorenoscopy (URS) with lithotripsy, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).

URS, depending on stone size, has become a preferred method due to advancements in intraoperative imaging and laser technology. Despite these improvements, small fragments often remain post-intervention, leading to recurrent stones. Complete removal of all fragments is crucial to significantly reduce recurrence rates. Current literature suggests a high recurrence rate with residual fragments, impacting healthcare costs and patient quality of life.

A key objective in endourological research is optimizing the stone clearance rate. Techniques like coagulum lithotomy and the autologous blood clot technique have been developed to enhance residual stone removal after laser fragmentation. These methods benefit selected patients but are not widely adopted due to complications such as reduced intraoperative visibility and long coagulum formation times.

Recently, a two-component hydrogel system called mediNiK® (Purenum GmbH, Germany) was developed. This biocompatible gel can be applied through an endoscope after stone fragmentation and large fragment retrieval to embed smaller fragments and dust, forming a removable conglomerate. MediNiK® has demonstrated effectiveness in embedding and removing stone residues and is already in clinical use in Europe, showing potential for optimizing stone removal.

A multicenter study has assessed the safety and tolerability of mediNiK® in standard URS (Open, randomized, multicentre study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and performance of mediNiK® compared to standard treatment in kidney stone removal - DRKS00030532). Results indicate the gel is safe and tolerable. However, further data from larger cohorts and comparisons with conventional URS are necessary before widespread adoption of mediNiK®.

Conditions

• Nephrolithiasis
• Lithotripsy, Laser
• Ureteroscopy

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Standard of Care Ureterorenoscopy

The patient provides written informed consent and is positioned in the supine position. After disinfection, sterile draping, and single-shot antibiotic administration a rigid cystoscopy is performed. Intubation of the ostium with a hydrophilic guidewire and placed into the renal pelvis under fluoroscopic control. After a semirigid URS, a working sheath is placed up to the Kidney. A flexible URS with lithotripsy with a Thulium lase is then performed to dust the stones. The fragments are retrieved for analysis. Finally, a double-J or mono-J stent and a transurethral catheter are placed.

PROCEDURE

Standard of Care Ureterorenoscopy with MediNiK

The patient provides written informed consent and is positioned in the supine position. After disinfection, sterile draping, and single-shot antibiotic administration a rigid cystoscopy is performed. Intubation of the ostium with a hydrophilic guidewire and placed into the renal pelvis under fluoroscopic control. After a semirigid URS, a working sheath is placed up to the Kidney. A flexible URS with lithotripsy with a Thulium lase is then performed to dust the stones. The fragments are retrieved for analysis. Application of MediNiK to embbed the residual stones in the hydrogel and extract it with a basket. Finally, a double-J or mono-J stent and a transurethral catheter are placed.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Technical University of Munich

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Michael Straub, Doctor · Technical University of Munich

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-07-01

Primary Completion

2026-03-30

Completion

2026-07-30

Countries

• Germany

Study Locations