BACKGROUND/AIMS Some common bile duct (CBD) stones recur after endoscopic stone extraction. Little information is available on the size and recurrence interval of recurrent symptomatic CBD stones or on ways to prevent recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between January 2007 and December 2011, consecutive 481 patients undergoing endoscopic extraction of CBD stones at a single institute were enro...

Uric acid stones are the most readily dissolvable of all types of urinary stones. By maintaining urinary pH between 6.2-6.8 with the use of sodium acid citrate or uralyt-U and reducing serum uric acid by allopurinol, we tried to dissolve 107 stones in 67 patients. Ninety three (86.9%) stones were dissolved and 6 (5.6%) passed spontaneously within a period of one year. Eight (7.5%) stones were r...

The gallstones of 14 patients, who had been treated unsuccessfully with chenodeoxycholic acid (15 mg/kg/day) for at lest six months, were obtained at cholecystectomy. The stones were then analysed for their cholesterol and calcium content. Two patients' stones were black in colour and low in cholesterol content, and were classified as pigment stones. Of the remaining 12 patients' stones, which ...

Multiple stones, a periampullary diverticulum, and advanced patient age are factors that contribute to difficulty in stone removal [1]. We were able to completely remove the bile duct stones in a 93-year-old woman with a periampullary diverticulum, multiple stones (about 100), and common bile duct of 35mm in diameter using the large-balloon occupation technique (LBOT). The patient visited our h...

The Endoscopic procedures for common bile duct (CBD) stones are reportedly safe in the elderly patients. However, the definition of the elderly is different in each report. If the elderly are defined as people aged 85 years or older, data on the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for CBD stones are limited. This study investigated the efficacy and ...

This study aimed to investigate associations between primary urinary incontinence and development of upper urinary tract stones in a nationwide population in Taiwan. Data of 1,777 adults with primary urinary incontinence and 26,655 controls (groups A, B, and C) without urinary incontinence at study inception were retrieved from the National Health Insurance System database in Taiwan and were an...

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous flexible ureteroscopic removal of stones (URS) for ureteral and ipsilateral renal stones and to analyze the predictive factors for renal stone-free status. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent simultaneous flexible URS of ureteral and ipsilateral renal stones from...

Scaling and root planing contribute to the recovery of periodontal health. All periodontal instruments loose their fine cutting angle after use. To maintain this angle, correct sharpening is required using specifically designed stones. The characteristics of sharpening stones can be compared to the blade of the instruments and also transported to root surface during instrumentation. Root smooth...