To assess our experience in flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) in major ambulatory surgery (MAS) and to detect variables related to unplanned medical assistance after surgery.
We conducted a retrospective study among patients with renal stones undergoing a fURS from 2014 to 2019 in MAS at our hospital.
Age, gender, ASA physical status, type of anesthetic technique performed, stone characteristics, influence of double J stent before or after surgery, and postoperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo modified classification. We evaluated variables related to hospital readmission or visit to the emergency room after surgery.
A total of 222 consecutive fURS for stone disease were performed in MAS. Patients' average age was 52.9 ± 13.91 years old. The mean operating time was 57.86 ± 21.11 minutes. The mean stone size was 1.92 ± 1.43 with a diameter of 10.01 ± 4.24 mm. 47.3% of patients had a double J stent before fURS, and in 35.14% of cases, a stent was placed after surgery. 7.65% of patients required unplanned hospitalization. 14.86% of patients presented to the emergency room in the following month after surgery. Among them, one-third consulted for symptoms related to the double J. Patients who carried a double J stent before the fURS had 64% less risk of visiting the emergency department in the following month after surgery [OR = 0,363; IC95% (0.153-0.798)]. All other variables (age, gender, operating time...) did not modify the risk of unplanned medical assistance.
The low complication rate following flexible ureteroscopy allows its performance as an ambulatory surgery. Patients who carry double J stent before the procedure have less risk of requiring unplanned medical assistance after the surgery.
Archivos espanoles de urologia. 2022 Aug [Epub]
Pedro de Pablos-Rodríguez, Carlos Torrecilla Ortiz, Sergi Colom Feixas, Jose María Cuadrado Campaña, Victor Tamés Chacón, Francesc Vigués Julià
Unidad de Litiasis Renal y Endourología, Servicio de Urología, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona, España.