Open Access

ARTICLE

Do patients with ureterolithiasis treated conservatively return to follow up?

Jonathan Modai¹, Noam Barda², Yuval Avda¹, Igal Shpunt¹, Dan Leibovici¹, Yaniv Shilo¹

1 Urology Department, Kaplan Medical Center, Israel
2 Clalit Research Institute, Clalit Health Services, Israel
Address correspondence to Dr. Jonathan Modai, Kaplan Medical Center, Urology Department, Pasternak Road, Rehovot, Israel, 76100

Canadian Journal of Urology 2021, 28(1), 10536-10541.

Abstract

Introduction: Distal ureteral stones (DUS) are common in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with renal colic. The majority of DUS will pass spontaneously and therefore conservative care is common. Follow up is imperative as some of these stones might not pass and potentially lead to complications. The aim of our study was to evaluate the rate of compliance with follow up and to find predictive variables for it.
Materials and methods: We retrospectively surveyed the medical records of all patients who had a non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) at our ED between 01/03/16 and 31/5/17. We included patients with a DUS smaller than 10 mm that were treated conservatively. We obtained demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging data. Compliance to follow up was evaluated by surveying the medical records and by calling the patients. We then compared the characteristics of patients who returned for follow up to those who did not.
Results: A total of 230 consecutive patients were included in our cohort: 194 (84%) patients were male and the average age was 46 y (21-82); 138 patients (60%) returned for a follow up visit while 92 patients (40%) did not. Univariate analysis revealed stone size and admission to hospital to be predictive of compliance to follow up, while multivariate analysis revealed only hospital admission to be predictive of compliance.
Conclusions: Only 60% of the patients with DUS treated conservatively return for a follow up visit. Hospital admission, which likely reflects appropriate patient counseling by a urologist and adequate follow up scheduling, was found to be associated with increased compliance with follow up.

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Keywords

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