“Stone Surgery Heavily Dependent on Equipment — Domestic Medical Devices with ‘Immediate Feedback’ Are Changing the Landscape”
Happyview Hospital adopts Dyne Medical Group’s URUS… Recognized for its competitiveness, including its 6 o’clock working channel design
Dr. Juyong Oh (Urology): “Expansion of procedures in secondary hospitals has greatly improved accessibility, advancing anesthesia-free techniques”
In the field of urological stone surgery, a rapid paradigm shift has taken place over the past three to five years with the introduction of advanced medical equipment.
With the advancement of laser technologies and the widespread adoption of disposable flexible endoscopes, surgical treatments—once concentrated in tertiary hospitals—have expanded into secondary hospitals and private clinics, significantly improving patient accessibility.
Against this backdrop, we met with Dr. Juyong Oh, Director of Urology at Happyview Hospital in Gwangju, who has been drawing attention for his clinical outcomes, to discuss the latest trends in stone treatment and the competitiveness of domestic medical devices.
“Stone Surgery Is Equipment-Driven — Domestic Devices Excel in Immediate Response Capability”
Dr. Juyong Oh commented on endoscopic stone surgery:“From a surgeon’s perspective, the launch of new equipment is always a major point of interest. That’s how critical the role of equipment is.”
He emphasized that endoscopic surgical instruments are highly sensitive and require meticulous handling and management.
Given the practical limitations of maintaining multiple high-cost devices, if equipment fails or its condition deteriorates on the day of surgery, and no alternative is available, it can lead to a critical situation where the procedure must be postponed.
Dr. Oh stated:“Because of these characteristics, compared to companies that distribute and service overseas products, a major strength of domestic companies like Dyne Medical Group is their ability to provide immediate on-site support or rapid equipment replacement.”
He added that companies that cannot resolve even basic equipment issues are unlikely to be selected. Fast feedback, deep product expertise, and durability are essential factors in gaining strong support in the stone surgery field.
From a technical standpoint as well, he praised the competitiveness of Dyne Medical Group’s flagship product, URUS, particularly its distinctive 6 o’clock working channel design, noting that having a wider range of tools to treat patients is always welcomed by clinicians.
Alleviating Patient Concentration in Tertiary Hospitals — Advanced Procedures Now Feasible in Regional Hospitals
The landscape of urological stone surgery has evolved significantly with the advancement of laser systems such as Moses and TFL, robotic surgical systems like Avicenna, and the emergence of various disposable endoscopes including URUS.
Dr. Oh explained: “Surgical time has decreased, and even in cases requiring multiple procedures, the number of sessions has been significantly reduced. Procedures such as PNL (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) and open surgery are decreasing, and now even secondary hospitals and private clinics can sufficiently perform surgical treatment for stones.”
Just a decade ago, these procedures were largely limited to tertiary hospitals, resulting in heavy patient concentration. Now, patients can receive treatment even in regional hospitals with better accessibility, significantly improving both choice and convenience.
Successful Adoption of ‘Anesthesia-Free Antegrade Approach’ for High-Risk Patients
Advancements in patient-tailored surgical techniques are also notable.
Dr. Oh is reported to have presented a case at a Chonnam National University Hospital seminar involving the removal of upper ureteral stones using an antegrade approach via the renal pelvis without anesthesia, for patients who have difficulty undergoing anesthesia.
Traditionally, retrograde ureteroscopic stone surgery almost always requires anesthesia. Additionally, depending on ureteral anatomy or strictures, there are limitations that may require stent placement followed by a secondary procedure.
However, Dr. Oh utilized an ultra-thin disposable ureteroscope to attempt an anesthesia-free antegrade approach.
In cases without severe bleeding, he was able to access most calyces and ureteral stones, successfully completing the procedure without major difficulty. The patient was discharged the following day.
Concluding the interview, Dr. Oh stated:“If an access sheath specifically designed for kidney stones is developed, there will be more opportunities for antegrade approaches and related techniques to be widely adopted.”
He also added a practical suggestion that future-generation or upgraded models could incorporate an integrated system combining the ureteral access sheath and the scope into a single unit.
“Stone Surgery Heavily Dependent on Equipment — Domestic Medical Devices with ‘Immediate Feedback’ Are Changing the Landscape”
Happyview Hospital adopts Dyne Medical Group’s URUS… Recognized for its competitiveness, including its 6 o’clock working channel design
Dr. Juyong Oh (Urology): “Expansion of procedures in secondary hospitals has greatly improved accessibility, advancing anesthesia-free techniques”
In the field of urological stone surgery, a rapid paradigm shift has taken place over the past three to five years with the introduction of advanced medical equipment.
With the advancement of laser technologies and the widespread adoption of disposable flexible endoscopes, surgical treatments—once concentrated in tertiary hospitals—have expanded into secondary hospitals and private clinics, significantly improving patient accessibility.
Against this backdrop, we met with Dr. Juyong Oh, Director of Urology at Happyview Hospital in Gwangju, who has been drawing attention for his clinical outcomes, to discuss the latest trends in stone treatment and the competitiveness of domestic medical devices.
“Stone Surgery Is Equipment-Driven — Domestic Devices Excel in Immediate Response Capability”
Dr. Juyong Oh commented on endoscopic stone surgery:“From a surgeon’s perspective, the launch of new equipment is always a major point of interest. That’s how critical the role of equipment is.”
He emphasized that endoscopic surgical instruments are highly sensitive and require meticulous handling and management.
Given the practical limitations of maintaining multiple high-cost devices, if equipment fails or its condition deteriorates on the day of surgery, and no alternative is available, it can lead to a critical situation where the procedure must be postponed.
Dr. Oh stated:“Because of these characteristics, compared to companies that distribute and service overseas products, a major strength of domestic companies like Dyne Medical Group is their ability to provide immediate on-site support or rapid equipment replacement.”
He added that companies that cannot resolve even basic equipment issues are unlikely to be selected. Fast feedback, deep product expertise, and durability are essential factors in gaining strong support in the stone surgery field.
From a technical standpoint as well, he praised the competitiveness of Dyne Medical Group’s flagship product, URUS, particularly its distinctive 6 o’clock working channel design, noting that having a wider range of tools to treat patients is always welcomed by clinicians.
Alleviating Patient Concentration in Tertiary Hospitals — Advanced Procedures Now Feasible in Regional Hospitals
The landscape of urological stone surgery has evolved significantly with the advancement of laser systems such as Moses and TFL, robotic surgical systems like Avicenna, and the emergence of various disposable endoscopes including URUS.
Dr. Oh explained: “Surgical time has decreased, and even in cases requiring multiple procedures, the number of sessions has been significantly reduced. Procedures such as PNL (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) and open surgery are decreasing, and now even secondary hospitals and private clinics can sufficiently perform surgical treatment for stones.”
Just a decade ago, these procedures were largely limited to tertiary hospitals, resulting in heavy patient concentration. Now, patients can receive treatment even in regional hospitals with better accessibility, significantly improving both choice and convenience.
Successful Adoption of ‘Anesthesia-Free Antegrade Approach’ for High-Risk Patients
Advancements in patient-tailored surgical techniques are also notable.
Dr. Oh is reported to have presented a case at a Chonnam National University Hospital seminar involving the removal of upper ureteral stones using an antegrade approach via the renal pelvis without anesthesia, for patients who have difficulty undergoing anesthesia.
Traditionally, retrograde ureteroscopic stone surgery almost always requires anesthesia. Additionally, depending on ureteral anatomy or strictures, there are limitations that may require stent placement followed by a secondary procedure.
However, Dr. Oh utilized an ultra-thin disposable ureteroscope to attempt an anesthesia-free antegrade approach.
In cases without severe bleeding, he was able to access most calyces and ureteral stones, successfully completing the procedure without major difficulty. The patient was discharged the following day.
Concluding the interview, Dr. Oh stated:“If an access sheath specifically designed for kidney stones is developed, there will be more opportunities for antegrade approaches and related techniques to be widely adopted.”
He also added a practical suggestion that future-generation or upgraded models could incorporate an integrated system combining the ureteral access sheath and the scope into a single unit.