Complications Due to Surgical Treatment of Ureteral Calculi

Ureteral calculi usually induce severe colic pain, hematuria, hydronephrosis, infection and renal function loss, which warrant aggressive surgical management. The incidence of complication seems to decrease with the use of advanced equipment and machines in modern therapy. However, severe complication is still not unusual in our daily practice even as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and endoscopic ureteral lithotripsy have become the most common urologic surgeries. It is important to be familiar with the surgical skills in the management of ureteral calculi as well as in dealing with complications that follow. In this short review, we discuss the complications with respect to the different mode of therapy and the different locations of the ureter, as well as the prevention and management of complications. Special conditions such as ureteral calculi in pregnancy, pediatric ureteral stones, outpatient ureteroscopy surgery, ureteral stents, ureteral dilatation and urinary leakage will also be discussed.