Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Suction-Enabled Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery: Technical Principles, Physiological Rationale, and Evidence-Based Applications | Chapter 7 | Newer Frontiers in Urology, Volume III

 

Background: Retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) is a cornerstone for managing renal calculi <2 cm, yet it faces limitations including elevated intrarenal pressure, suboptimal stone clearance, and infectious complications. The integration of suction, particularly via Flexible and Navigable Ureteral Access Sheath (FANS), aims to mitigate these challenges. This chapter provides a critical appraisal of the role of suction in RIRS.

 

Methods: A synthesis of current literature and technical principles was conducted to evaluate the mechanisms, clinical outcomes, advantages, and limitations of FANS-assisted RIRS.

 

Results: FANS facilitates continuous outflow of irrigation fluid, stabilising intrarenal pressure and reducing the risk of pyelovenous backflow and sepsis. It enhances intraoperative visibility and may improve stone-free rates by actively evacuating fragments. However, these benefits must be weighed against increased costs, a learning curve, and a currently limited evidence base from large randomised trials.

 

Conclusion: Suction-assisted RIRS represents a significant technical advance, particularly beneficial in cases with enormous stone burdens, lower-pole stones, or infected systems. The decision to utilise suction—"to suck or not to suck"—should be individualised, as it is not a mandatory addition for all RIRS procedures but a valuable adjunct in select clinical scenarios.

 

 

Author(s) Details

Hariharasudhan Sekar
Department of Urology & Renal Transplantation, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research Chennai, India.

 

Velmurugan Palaniyandi
Department of Urology & Renal Transplantation, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education &Research Chennai, India.

 

Vivek Meyyappan
Department of Urology & Renal Transplantation, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research Chennai, India.

 

Sriram Krishnamoorthy
Department of Urology & Renal Transplantation, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research Chennai, India.

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-47485-93-0/CH7

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