Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38415239›Full record

ArticleUrology annals

Use of artificial stones in training and laboratory studies, have we found the right material? Outcomes of a systematic review from the European School of Urology.

Panagiotis Kallidonis, Angelis Peteinaris, Domenico Veneziano, Amelia Pietropaolo, Konstantinos Pagonis, Constantinos Adamou, Athanasios Vagionis, Abdulrahman Al-Aown, Evangelos Liatsikos, Bhaskar Somani

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Urology annals. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Asian journal of urology · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 5 countries.

Panagiotis KallidonisDepartment of Urology, University Hospital of Rion, Patras, Greece.
Angelis PeteinarisDepartment of Urology, University Hospital of Rion, Patras, Greece.
Domenico VenezianoDepartment of Urology and Kidney Transplant, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
Amelia PietropaoloDepartment of Urology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Konstantinos PagonisDepartment of Urology, University Hospital of Rion, Patras, Greece.
Constantinos AdamouDepartment of Urology, University Hospital of Rion, Patras, Greece.
Athanasios VagionisDepartment of Urology, University Hospital of Rion, Patras, Greece.
Abdulrahman Al-AownDepartment of Urology, Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia.
Evangelos LiatsikosDepartment of Urology, University Hospital of Rion, Patras, Greece.
Bhaskar SomaniDepartment of Urology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
General University Hospital of Patras · GRUniversity Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust · GBArmed Forces Hospital · SAHofstra University · USMedical University of Vienna · AT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: In this review, we investigated the current literature to find out which artificial stones (AS) are available in endourology, and in which experimental and training schemes they are used. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Twenty-one out of 346 studies met our inclusion criteria and are presented in the current review. The inclusion criteria were the existence of AS and their use for laboratory and training studies. Results: There is a wide variety of materials used for the creation of AS. BegoStone powder (BEGO USA, Lincoln, Rhode Island) and plaster of Paris™ were used in most of the studies. In addition, Ultracal-30 (U. S. Gypsum, Chicago, IL) was also used. Other materials that were used as phantoms were AS created from plaster (Limbs and Things, UK), standardized artificial polygonal stone material (Chaton 1028, PP13, Jet 280; Swarovski), model stones consisting of spheres of activated aluminum (BASF SE, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Deutschland), Orthoprint (Zhermack, Badia Polesine, Italy), and a combination of plaster of Paris, Portland cement, and Velmix (calcium sulfate powder). Many experimental settings have been conducted with the use of AS. Our research demonstrated nine studies regarding testing and comparison of holmium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser devices, techniques, and settings. Six studies were about extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy testing and settings. Three experiments looked into treatment with percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Additionally, one study each investigated imaging perioperatively for endourological interventions, stone bacterial burden, and obstructive uropathy. Conclusion: AS have been used in a plethora of laboratory experimental studies. Independent of their similarity to real urinary tract stones, they present a tremendous potential for testing and training for endourological interventions.

Indexed as

Artificial stoneskidney calculilaserpercutaneous nephrolithotomyshock wave lithotripsytrainingureteroscopy

Identifiers

PMID38415239
PMCPMC10896332
OpenAlexW4388747295

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-SA
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.