The Use of Tamsulosin in Treatment of (10-15 mm) Lower Ureteric Stones in Adults With Non-emergent Symptoms: A Prospective Randomized Study

Urolithiasis affects 4-15% of world population and the incidence of this disease is increasing day by day . Of all the urinary tract stones, 20% are ureteral stones, and 70% of these ureteral stones are found in the distal part of the ureters . The goal of treatment of patients suffering from ureteral calculi is to achieve complete stone clearance with minimal morbidity .

Ureteral calculi of any size may be associated with renal obstruction and care must be taken to prevent irreversible damage to kidney, whether patient selects expectant or active treatment . An expectant treatment or watchful waiting approach may be expected to produce spontaneous stone expulsion up to 50% of cases but some complications such as urinary infection, hydronephrosis, and repetitive colicky pain may occur . Once a conservative approach proves to be unsuccessful, interventional treatment becomes necessary. After a period of conservative treatment, however, intervention is often inefficient or has a higher risk for complications due to stone impaction and the associated inflammatory reaction of the ureter . Non-invasive treatment with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy and minimal invasive approach with ureteroscopy allow ureterolithiasis to resolve in almost all cases but these procedures are not risk free and they require some experience and not cost effective .

The therapeutic potential of α-blockers for ureteral stone disease has been investigated, prompted by the detection of α-receptors in ureteral smooth muscle cells . We choose to focus on tamsulosin because it is the most frequently studied α-blocker, recommended in urology treatment guidelines, and, in our experience, the most common medical expulsive therapy used by emergency physicians .

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy of MET with tamsulosin for ureteral stones from 10-15 mm diameter in a randomised, placebo-controlled setting.