Investigating the Influence of Tutukon and Alfuzosin on Stone Expulsion After Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery

Abstract

Objective: To compare the effects of an alpha-blocker (alfuzosin) versus a herbal agent, “Tutukon®,» on stone-free rates in patients who underwent retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). Material and Methods: We evaluated seventy-five patients who underwent RIRS prospectively consecutively and reported retrospectively between January 2020 and June 2020. Patients were divided into three groups to analyze the effect of medications on stone-free rates after RIRS. “Tutukon®» was prescribed to the first group, alfuzosin 10 mg to the second group, and only dexketoprofen to the third group as the control group. The patients were re-evaluated for stone-free rates after the fourth week of surgery. Results: Among the groups (Tutukon®/Alfuzosin/Control), no differences were observed in terms of age (44.4±15.71/43.16±14.05/46.00±14.43), stone size, stone location and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) history (p>0.05). Complete stone-free rates at the fourth postoperative week; Group 1 (Tutukon®) was 96%, group 2 (alfuzosin) 84%, and group 3 (control) 76% (p=0.163), and the stone-free rate in Group 1 was significantly higher than that in the control group (Group 1 vs. 3; p= 0.044, Group 2 vs. 3; p=0.363). Evaluation of completely stone-free patients and patients with clinically insignificant residual stones showed no difference between the groups (p=0.234). Conclusion: The data obtained from the use of Tutukon® have similar results to the use of alfuzosin in medical expulsive therapy, suggesting that it may be a preferred phytotherapy method for fragment expulsion after endoscopic stone surgery.