Clinical Research Directory

Prospective Multi-center Study Comparing Pulsed Tm:YAG Laser to Pulse Modulated Holmium Laser in the Treatment of Nephrolithiasis With FANS Access Sheaths

The purpose of this study is to compare two laser technologies that are routinely used during ureteroscopy for the treatment of kidney stones. Specifically, this study will compare a pulsed Thulium:YAG laser to a pulse-modulated Holmium:YAG laser (Moses technology) to evaluate how effective and safe they are when used to break kidney stones. Primary endpoints include stone-free rate and the zero stone-free rate at a standardized postoperative. Secondary endpoints include total operative time, lasing time (s), laser energy expended (J), efficiency (laser energy expended/stone volume; stone volume/lasing time). These endpoints aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of the clinical effectiveness and procedural efficiency of the two laser systems.

Influence of Obesity on Endogenous Oxalate Synthesis

There is increasing evidence that obesity is associated with increased urinary oxalate excretion, an important risk factor for calcium oxalate stone formation. By the administration of a controlled low oxalate diet the investigators will estimate endogenous oxalate synthesis in both non-obese and obese non-kidney-stone forming adults. This study seeks to thusly increase the understanding of the relationships between obesity and endogenous oxalate synthesis to serve as a platform to develop novel therapies for stone prevention.

Influence of Obesity on Oxalate Metabolism and Handling in Calcium Oxalate Stone Formers

The primary goals of this study are to determine the contribution of dietary oxalate absorption, renal oxalate handling, and endogenous oxalate synthesis to urinary oxalate excretion in normal Body Mass Index (BMI) and obese calcium oxalate kidney stone formers.

Oxalate Formation From Ascorbic Acid

The purpose of this basic research study is to determine the contribution of endogenous ascorbic acid (AA) turnover to urinary oxalate excretion in both normal BMI and obese adult non-stone formers and calcium oxalate stone formers. The studies proposed will use diets of known nutrient composition, a stable isotope of ascorbic acid (13C6-AA) and mass spectrometric techniques to quantify ascorbic acid turnover to oxalate.

Effect of Weight Loss on Urinary Oxalate Excretion in Obese Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stone Formers

This protocol seeks to determine if weight reduction with the Optifast VLCD program leads to reduced contribution of endogenous oxalate synthesis and dietary oxalate absorption to the urinary oxalate pool in obese calcium oxalate stone formers.

Short Interval Versus Long Interval Repeated Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL) for 8-15 mm Renal Stones.

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is one way to treat renal stones. In this clinical trial our goal is to evaluate if two ESWL the same week is equal good and safe to two ESWL 3 weeks regarding renal stones 8-15 mm.

Comparing Alkalinizing Agents Efficacy on Stone Risk in Patients on a Metabolically Controlled Diet

The purpose of this study is to compare over the counter and alternative prescription urinary alkalinizing agents to slow release potassium citrate in their ability to modify urinary parameters associated with stone formation.

Potassium Citrate and Crystal Light Lemonade

To define the effect of crystal light, potassium citrate, or both on urinary stone risk factors in patients with a history of stone and hypocitraturia/low pH

Effect of a DASH-Style Diet on Urinary Risk Factors for Kidney Stone Disease

The true capacity for a healthy diet to improve urinary stone risk factors is not well-defined. The objective of this study is to measure the effect of adopting a healthy dietary pattern on kidney stone disease (KSD) risk. The working hypothesis is that a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-style diet will improve 24-hour urine stone risk parameters. The approach to testing this hypothesis will be to randomize participants with KSD to a standardized DASH-style vs. Western-style diet for one week. The Bionutrition Unit of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science will provide all meals to participants. The rationale for this study is that by measuring the effect of a DASH-style diet on urinary stone risk parameters, a benchmark for future real-world, implementation studies will be established. Based on available evidence, this will be the first controlled diet study to assess the DASH dietary pattern for improving urinary stone risk parameters.

Our Study About Anew Technique to Improve Results of Peumatic Lithotripsy in Mimi Pcnl With Suction Sheath.

Prospective study to assist safty and efficieny of our technique of using peumatic lithotripsy with suction mini-pcnl.

Oxalate and Citrate

This is a single-center study that aims to earn more about how two different compounds found in food, oxalate and citrate, may affect a person's chances of forming kidney stones.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Miniaturized Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy With Vacuum-Assisted Access Sheaths Versus Conventional Sheaths for Treatment of Nephrolithiasis

The purpose of this study is to compare two variations of the mini-PCNL procedure using either a vacuum-assisted sheath or standard sheath which are both used for the surgical treatment of kidney stones. Both procedure types are commonly used in the treatment of kidneys stones and they have been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of stones similar in size and location to your own.

Access Sheath and Stent Trial

The study is being completed to compare patient reported outcomes for stent omission vs. placement after using a ureteral access sheath for uncomplicated ureteroscopy. Participants that consent for the study will complete baseline PRO questionnaires. A UAS will be used during surgery, and the size left to the discretion of the surgeon. At the end of the procedure, the urologist will evaluate the ureter for iatrogenic injury, and the ureter will be graded using the Post Ureteroscopic Lesion Scale (PULS). Patients assessed with PULS 0 and PULS 1 will meet 2nd stage eligibility and will be randomized 1:1 to either stent omission or stent placement. When a stent is placed, the stent type and decision to leave a string (tether) will be at the operating urologist's discretion. Hypothesis: \- stent omission arm will be non-inferior to stent placement in Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference and Pain Intensity, and have lower 30-day healthcare utilization.

NSAIDs Stent Study

This is a pilot study to (1) evaluate the effect of Ketorolac on inflammatory response and its impact on stent related symptoms in patients undergoing stent placement procedure and (2) assess feasibility of recruitment, randomization, assessment procedures and implementation of the study intervention.

Oxalate and Citrate in Humans - Response to Citrate

This is a single-center study that aims to learn more about how two compounds found in food, oxalate and citrate, interact in the body and may influence a person's chances of forming kidney stones. The study will examine changes in urinary oxalate and citrate levels after participants consume potassium citrate.

ClearPetra™ Vacuum-assisted Ureteral Access Sheath vs Traditional Approach

Ureteroscopy has been considered the best approach when treating renal stones smaller than 2 cm. This procedure is usually performed together with ureteral access sheaths, which helps protect the ureter mucosa and lowers intrarenal pressure. Recently, a new vacuum-assisted ureteral access sheath called ClearPetra has entered US market and allows for continuous stone fragmentation and aspiration. Because there is little information on comparing this device with traditional approach (no sheath or non-vacuum-assisted sheath) in American population, we aim to compare those devices in terms of their ability to clear the kidney from kidney stones, as well as reduce infection rates postoperatively.

Meditation Effects on Discomfort, Pain InTerference, and AnxieTy After urEteroscopy

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn whether meditation can help improve recovery in children and adults having surgery for kidney stones. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does meditation around the time of surgery improve pain and anxiety in patients undergoing kidney stone surgery (ureteroscopy)? * Is a meditation program around the time of surgery feasible for patients having kidney stone surgery (ureteroscopy)? Participants will be randomly assigned to the meditation group and the control group to understand how meditation affects recovery after surgery. Participants will be asked to: * Complete a health history form * Complete questionnaires about pain and mood before surgery and certain days after surgery * Those in the meditation group will learn and practice a daily 20-minute meditation for 2-4 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery * Those in the meditation group will be asked to provide feedback of the meditation program after completing the last questionnaire

Impact of Forced Diuresis on the Residual Fragment Rate After Flexible Ureteroscopy for Destruction of Kidney Stones With Laser

In view of the positive results of the numerous studies conducted on forced diuresis after extra-corporeal lithotripsy, the investigators chose to evaluate forced diuresis by injection of Furosemide associated with intravenous hydration, which has never before been the subject of a specific analysis.

Outcomes of Using FANS With FURS in TTT of Lower Calyceal Stones.

The aim of this study is to evaluate and assess the outcomes of flexible ureteroscopy (FURS) with flexible and navigable suction UAS (FANS) in the treatment of lower calyceal stones.

A Retrospective, Multi-center Real-world Study of Steerable Ureteroscopic Renal Evacuation (SURE) Procedure With the CVAC® System

This is a retrospective, multi-center collaboration to assess real-world outcomes of a novel steerable aspiration system, the CVAC® System ("CVAC"), and flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath (FANS) for the treatment of urinary stones.

Kidney Stone Inflammation

This observational study aims to look at the connections between kidney stones, insulin resistance, and inflammation. The researchers hypothesize that people who form calcium kidney stones and have insulin resistance may have higher levels of inflammation because they have more visceral fat (fat around the abdominal organs). The study will recruit 20 people who have had calcium kidney stones but don't have diabetes, and 20 healthy people who haven't had kidney stones. All the participants will come to the research center at the University of Chicago Medicine. Participants will have a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan to measure their visceral fat, and give blood and urine samples. The blood will be tested for insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, and other metabolic factors. The urine will be analyzed for substances that increase kidney stone risk. The main goal is to see if the kidney stone formers with insulin resistance have more visceral fat compared to those without insulin resistance and the healthy participants. The researchers will also compare inflammatory marker levels between groups, and look at how visceral fat, inflammatory markers, insulin resistance, and urine stone risk factors are related. The findings may help explain how kidney stones are connected to metabolic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Researchers hope this information will help identify stone formers at risk early and develop preventive treatments in the future.

A Single-Center Clinical Study on the Efficacy and Safety of VISOR

Goal of this trial: To test a new tool called VISOR in adults (aged 18-80) with 1-3 cm kidney or ureter stones. We want to see: 1. If it's safe and works well 2. If its built-in features (flushing/suction, pressure control, and stone-breaking/removal) help clear stones better while keeping surgery safe. Main questions: 1. Can the VISOR clear stones successfully (with fragments \<4 mm left) for at least 9 out of every 10 people within 24 hours after surgery? 2. Will serious problems (like severe infections or ureteral injuries) happen to no more than 1 in 20 people (5%)? 3. Can the device keep pressure inside the kidney below 30 mmHg (a safe level) during the entire surgery? What participants will do: Have stone removal surgery using VISOR (breaks and removes stones at the same time). Get a CT scan within 24 hours after surgery to check if stones are cleared. Return 4 weeks (±1 week) after surgery for: An imaging test (CT or ultrasound) A check for any health problems related to the surgery.

Follow-Up of Ureteral Stones ≤4 mm

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the proportion of ureteral stones ≤4 mm that pass spontaneously within 4 and 8 weeks and assess if pain, blood test (S-creatinine), stone size, stone location and hydronephrosis can predict stone passage. The participants will be asked to fill in a questionare regarding symptoms, give a blood test and undergo a follow-up computed tomography.

GI Oxalate Absorption

This study aims to learn more about how oxalate, a compound found in many foods, may affect a person's chances of forming kidney stones. Active participation in this study will last for around one week. For the first two days, subjects will be asked to eat a special diet at home. From Days 3-5, they will eat special meals delivered to their home from a research clinic at the University of Chicago. They will also collect 24-hour urine samples at home on Days 4 and 5. On Day 6, they will come in to the research clinic at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park, where they will spend most of the day. They will receive a special liquid that contains oxalate, and we will have them eat a specially prepared breakfast that is low in oxalate and citrate.