Comparison of an Indwelling Period Following Ureteroscopic Removal of Stones between Double-J Stents and Open-Ended Catheters: A Prospective, Pilot, Randomized, Multicenter Study

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate whether long-term, postoperative ureteral stenting is necessary after ureteroscopic removal of stones (URS) during an uncomplicated surgical procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS We prospectively examined 54 patients who underwent URS for lower ureteral stones from February 2010 to October 2010. Inclusion criteria were a stone less than 10 mm in diameter, absence of ureteral stricture, and absence of ureteral injury during surgery. We randomly placed 5 Fr. open-tip ureteral catheters in 26 patients and removed the Foley catheter at postoperative day 1. The remaining 28 patients received double-J stents that were removed at postoperative day 14 by cystoscopy under local anesthesia. All patients provided visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at postoperative days 1, 7, and 14 and completed the storage categories of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) at postoperative day 7. RESULTS The VAS scores were not significantly different on postoperative day 1 but were significantly smaller in the 1-day ureteral catheter group at postoperative days 7 and 14 (p<0.01). All of the storage categories of the IPSS were significantly lower in the 1-day ureteral stent group (p<0.01). The ratio of patients who needed intravenous analgesics because of severe postoperative flank pain was not significantly different between the two groups (p=0.81). No patients experienced severe flank pain after postoperative day 2, and no patients in either group had any other complications. CONCLUSIONS One-day ureteral catheter placement after URS can reduce postoperative pain and did not cause specific complications compared with conventional double-J stent placement.