The Impact Of The Lower Pole Anatomy In Clearance Of The Lower Caliceal Stones

The lower renal calices are the most common sites for renal calculi.In contrast to stones located elsewhere in the kidney, stones in the lower pole tend to have poorer outcomes even after the most current minimally invasive interventions. Many clinical studies have confirmed that spatial lower pole calyceal anatomic factors, including infundibulopelvic angle(IPA), infundibular length(IL) and infundibular width(IW), play a significant role in the stone clearance. Therefore, this article aims to review the relevant literatures, published either in English or in Chinese in recent years. From the literatures, the infundibulopelvic anatomy and its influence on stone-free rate have been summarized in this article, which is essential for clinicians to choose the most effective treatment.