Current approaches to the selection of treatment methods for patients with upper ureteral stones

Urolithiasis occupies one of the leading places in the structure of urological diseases. In this case, ureterolithiasis is observed in at least 50% of cases. Of all the localizations of stones in the ureter, the most difficult problem is stones in the upper third, since with this location of the calculus, a wide range of treatment methods with different effectiveness and safety profiles can be selected. The review includes modern publications on studies of the effectiveness of conservative and surgical methods of treating patients with stones in the upper third of the ureter, including lithokinetic and litholytic therapy, remote shock wave lithotripsy, contact ureterolithotripsy, laparoscopic ureterolithotomy, and also describes the factors influencing the choice of treatment method. The results of using various methods of surgical treatment of ureterolithiasis, the likelihood of additional interventions, the frequency, nature and degree of intraoperative and postoperative complications were analyzed. It is emphasized that the introduction of new technologies has changed approaches to the choice of treatment method for patients with upper ureter stones, which has increased its effectiveness and reduced the risk of complications. At the same time, many aspects of surgical treatment of patients with upper ureter stones remain a subject of debate.