Gently Does it - Safe and Gentle Stone Retrieval

Around 5-10% of adults in Central and Western Europe suffer from kidney and ureteral stone

disease. These solid formations occur when substances that normally dissolve in the urine are

separated out and deposited as fine crystals in those organs. Such stones can be found in the

renal calyces, renal pelvis and lower urinary tract (ureter, bladder, urethra).

About 80% of all kidney stones pass out of the body with the urine. In the remaining 20%,

medical assistance is required for removal. Men are affected twice often as women.

Formerly, the treatment of kidney and ureteral stones was performed mostly by ESWL in the

last 15 years.

Due to immense improvements of the equipment for and training in ureteroscopy this is

currently the therapeutic procedure carried out more and more often. Ureteroscopy is a

minimal invasive intervention by which a flexible endoscope is passed through the urethra

into the ureter to capture stones and/or stone fragments.

With its complete portfolio and its innovative Sur-Catch NT retrieval basket, Olympus

provides a specially developed, gentle and fast treatment for kidney and ureteral stone

removal.

Thanks to its tipless design with rounded wires, the basket is extremely soft and smooth to

prevent bleeding and injury to the tissue. The Nitinol material gives the basket the

additional advantage of the ultimate flexibility to move easily and safely toward to the

stone - even in patients with difficult anatomy. Nitinol is a nickel and titan shape memory

alloy and possesses properties like biocompatibility and high flexibility. Even when changing

its shape, Nitinol can remember its previous form and change back.

Because the stones can be completely removed in just a single session in almost all cases,

the procedure is highly effective.

The additional portfolio supplied by Olympus enable surgeons to render accurate and exact

diagnoses while accomplishing a fast, safe and effective intervention:

- the flexible endoscope (ureteroscope) produces crystal clear and 3-times larger images,

allowing visibility directly onto the stone and its location.

- The new NBI function enables a better diagnosis of suspicious structures and simulates a 3D

view of the mucosa.