Alpha blockers may also be a useful adjunct in the treatment of both ureteral and renal stones with SWL. They may also reduce the urinary symptoms and pain associated with double-J ureteral stents. Further investigation is necessary to define the role of blockers in the treatment of proximal ureteral and renal stones, and to elucidate the potential mechanisms of renal stone clearance after surgical stone intervention.
The primary findings show a small overall benefit for a-blockers as MET for ureteric stones but no benefit with CCBs. a-blockers show a greater benefit for large (>5 mm) ureteric stones and those located in the distal ureter, but no benefit for smaller or more proximal stones. a-blockers are associated with a greater risk of side-effects compared to placebo or CCBs. 2017 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Arab Association of Urology. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Only a minority of patients with ureteric calculi require surgical intervention. Uncomplicated ureteric stones up to 10 mm can be given a trial of MET initially. The trial period may be extended up to 12-weeks depending on the control of symptoms and downward movement of the stone.
