Treatment of forgotten ureteral stents: how much does it really cost? A cost-effectiveness study in 27 patients

Abstract

Aim of study was to present costs of forgotten ureteral stents extraction so as to distract attentions of the urologists on this issue. Medical files of 27 accessible patients who referred to our clinics between 2001 and 2010 because of forgotten ureteral stent were retrospectively analyzed. The indwelling time of double-j stents (DJS) was calculated from the time of its insertion. Costs related to radiological investigations, all invasive, and noninvasive interventions, duration of hospital stay, and medical treatments used were calculated. These estimations were based on 2010 prices determined by Turkey Ministry of Health. Mean age of the patients was 31.2 (8-86 years) years. Mean indwelling time of ureteral DJSs was 36.7 months (14-84 months). Seventy-one [extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), n = 26; invasive/noninvasive interventions, n = 32] procedures were applied for 27 patients. In six patients without incrustation, after a single session of ESWL DJSs could be removed cystoscopically. A various combination of a multimodal therapy was used for other 21 patients. Total financial burden of 27 patients was US $ 34,300. Cost of treatment was estimated to be 6.9-fold (1.8- to 21-fold) higher than an average timely stent extraction. Financial burden of the treatments increased in parallel with the duration of the stent retention (p = 0.001). Management of forgotten DJS is time consuming, difficult, complicated, risky, and costly. Therefore; financial burden, increased labour loss, and impaired quality of life brought by the application of these modalities must not be forgotten.

Single session removal of forgotten encrusted ureteral stents: combined endourological approach

“…However, before initiating aggressive interventional management, medical treatment should not be disregarded. In a previous study performed in our clinics, we presented dramatic outcomes of delayed treatment [2]. Spot urine samples especially recovered from within urinary bladder of the completely obstructed renal units do not yield most accurate results with higher rates of false negativity.…”

Would the Indwelling Internal Ureteral Stent Influence Renal Function Despite Relief of Benign Ureteral Obstruction?

“…8 Furthermore, the presence of IUS induces vesicorenal reflux specifically with the high bladder pressure during voiding. 9,10 Although a plethora of studies have evaluated the morbidities of IUS and its preventive measures, 3,4,8,[11][12][13][14] few have evaluated the effect on renal function (RF). 3,12 Moreover, one study had few patients 3 and none had evaluated RF changes in terms of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to the best of our knowledge in English literature.…”

A new patient safety smartphone application for prevention of “forgotten” ureteral stents: results from a clinical pilot study in 194 patients

“…Treating encrusted stents usually requires multiple procedures, significantly affecting costs. Sancaktutar et al demonstrated that the cost of treatment for RUS was higher than a timely stent extraction and the financial burden of the treatments increased at the same rate as the duration of the stent retention ( p  = 0.001) [4]. …”