Ep. 197 Suction Devices in Urology: Improving Stone Removal with Dr. Roger Sur

Frustrated with stone retrieval after a long lithotripsy case? In this episode of the BackTable Urology Podcast, host Aditya Bagrodia, MD, and guest Roger Sur, MD, director of the Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center at UC San Diego Health, delve into the latest technological advancements in the treatment of kidney stones. The episode focuses on the CVAC (continuous vacuum aspiration and irrigation) device as a suction platform for endourologists. --- This podcast is supported by: Photocure https://www.photocure.com/ --- SYNPOSIS Their conversation offers interesting historical detail on the evolution of kidney stone treatment, from open surgery to modern techniques including percutaneous nephrolithotomy, shockwave lithotripsy, and ureteroscopy. As one of the original visionaries behind CVAC, Dr. Sur highlights the development journey from lab experiments to FDA approval. The episode covers data on CVAC’s superiority in patient outcomes and stone-free rates compared to other technologies. Key insights from recent studies, such as the ASPIRE trial, underscore the benefits of CVAC in reducing postoperative events and stone regrowth. The conversation also explores practical aspects of integrating suction platforms into practices and looks ahead towards the potential for machine learning to refine these technologies. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction 04:29 - The Rise of Ureteroscopy 10:38 - Development of Suction Devices 12:22 - The CVAC Device: History and Functionality 21:05 - Comparing Suction Device Systems 31:34 - Looking Into the Data 37:42 - Considerations for Real-World Practice --- RESOURCES Photocure https://www.photocure.com/