A new technique for the transurethral or percutaneous removal of renal stones.

This new technique uses a cystoscopically placed torque guide wire and catheters to deliver a stone basket to the renal calix containing the stone. Under fluoroscopic control the basket, placed through a 9F catheter, is used to dislodge and capture the stone. The stone-containing basket and catheter then are removed transurethrally or percutaneously. This procedure was used to remove small caliceal stones in 3 patients undergoing ureteral stone manipulation, and it facilitated the percutaneous removal of a larger stone in the upper pole infundibulum in 1 patient.