Stones in pregnancy and pediatrics

Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected ureteral stone management in pregnant women? A retrospective single-center study

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the patients' referral in the pregnant population and also investigate each treatment approach's advantages and disadvantages for acute renal colic in pregnancy.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we included all pregnant women with ureteral stones referred to a referral center between January 2019 and March 2021.

RESULTS

Among 53 pregnant women, 18 (33.9%) were on conservative therapy, which passed the stone without any complications. Double J stent or nephrostomy tube insertion was done for 24 patients (45.2%). Seventeen of these patients (70.8%) presented post-surgical complications, including hematuria (29.2%), pyelonephritis (20.8%), and lower urinary tract symptoms (20.8%). Transurethral lithotripsy (TUL) was done in 11 patients (20.7%). Only one of these patients developed hematuria following TUL. Thus, in our population study, double J stent or nephrostomy insertion was associated with a higher chance of postoperative complications than TUL (p-value = 0.001). Thirty-six patients were referred within 13 months before the entry of COVID-19, while 17 were referred during a similar approximate duration after the COVID-19 entry into the country. Only the initial presentation had a significant difference between these two periods (p-value = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

When conservative treatment fails, we recommend TUL as the second-line treatment over temporary procedures, such as double J stent or nephrostomy insertion. Of note, in a group of patients with an emergent clinical setting, including active infection, deteriorating renal function, signs of preterm labor, solitary kidney, etc., double J or nephrostomy tube insertion remains the preferred management method for its fast resolution of obstruction and infection. Besides, a decrease in visits with an increase in complicated cases after COVID-19 was observed, maybe due to a delay in referring.

Contemporary Use of Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging in Suspected Urolithiasis in Pregnancy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We aimed to examine the role of low-dose CT (LDCT) in the diagnostic work-up for suspected urolithiasis in pregnancy. We reviewed contemporary urologic recommendations for CT in pregnancy, its utilization for suspected urolithiasis, and explored barriers to its use.

RECENT FINDINGS

National urologic guidelines and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend the judicious use of LDCT imaging in pregnancy when necessary. We noted inconsistencies in review article management pathways and recommendations for CT imaging for suspected urolithiasis in pregnancy. Overall CT utilization in pregnancy for suspected urolithiasis is low. Proposed barriers to LDCT use in pregnancy include fears of litigation and misperceptions of the harm of diagnostic radiation. Recent advancements in imaging technologies for urolithiasis in pregnancy are limited. More specific diagnostic pathway recommendations from national urologic guideline bodies for when to use LDCT to investigate renal colic in pregnancy may reduce diagnostic and intervention delays.

Management of urolithiasis in pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Management of nephrolithiasis is unique in pregnancy and requires multidisciplinary care. To identify the effectiveness or safety of temporary drainage or definitive treatment methods to manage urolithiasis in pregnancy.

METHODS

The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies was conducted in August 2021. Studies published in any language on any date were considered for inclusion.

RESULTS

Of a total of 3349 publications, 36 studies were included in our qualitative evaluation and 32 studies in the quantitative synthesis. The commonly reported method was stent insertion (n = 29 studies), pneumatic (n = 12), laser (n = 9) lithotripsy, and stone removal using any devices (basket, grasper, or forceps) (n = 11). In seven studies, the authors reported the outcomes of conservative management, and the results showed that the stone-free rate is 54%, and symptom relief occurred in 62% of women. Seven eligible studies reported that 79.9% of urolithiasis were expulsed through stent insertion, while this rate was 94.6% among percutaneous nephrostomy use in two included studies, 88.5% for pneumatic lithotripsy (n = 7 studies), and 76.4% for laser lithotripsy (n = 4 studies), or 95.4% for stone removal method. In addition, adverse events were reported in less than 10% of pregnant women.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that stent, pneumatic or laser lithotripsy, and ureteroscopic stone removal were the commonest used methods in the included studies. They can be effective and safe treatment approaches without major maternal or neonatal complications, and could be introduced as an effective and safe therapeutic method for urolithiasis during pregnancy. However, most of the included studies had moderate quality according to critical appraisal checklists. Further prospective studies are needed to reach a conclusion.

Mini versus ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy in a paediatric population

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether there would be a difference in outcome when the smaller ultra-mini 12 Fr sheath was used instead of the mini 16 Fr sheath for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in paediatric patients for stones less than 25 mm.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study of patients who underwent PCNL in our hospital in a 2-year period from July 2016 to June 2018 by a single surgeon. PCNL was performed in a prone position and tract was dilated to the respective size using single step dilatation. Laser was used to fragment the stone. Stone-free outcome was defined as absence of stone fragment at 3 months on kidney, ureter, and bladder X-ray.

RESULTS

There were 40 patients in each group. Mean stone size was comparable between the two groups (14.5 mm vs. 15.0 mm). The procedure was completed faster in the 16 Fr group compared to 12 Fr group (24.5 min vs. 34.6 min). Stone clearance was highly successful in both groups (97.5% vs. 95.0%). There was no difference in complications between the two groups. The decrease in hemoglobin was minimal in both groups (0.2 g/dL vs. 0.3 g/dL).

CONCLUSION

We found that the success rates were similar in both mini PCNL and the smaller ultra-mini PCNL groups. No significant difference in bleeding was noted in our pilot study, however, operative time was longer in the ultra-mini group as compared to the mini sheath group.

Postoperative outcomes of ureteroscopy for pediatric urolithiasis: A secondary analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric

INTRODUCTION

Incidence of pediatric urinary stone disease (PUSD) has increased over recent decades. Innovations in ureteroscopic technology has expanded the role of endourologic stone management in children. However, there is currently no consensus on the optimal use of ureteroscopy (URS) within the heterogenous PUSD population.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective was to investigate the rate of 30-day unplanned readmissions in pediatric patients after URS. The secondary objective was to examine the influence of demographic, perioperative, postoperative, and reoperation variables as predictors of an increased risk of unplanned readmission in this sample.

STUDY DESIGN

A secondary analysis was performed on retrospectively collected data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric between 2015 and 2018. Pediatric patients diagnosed with PUSD and treated with URS were identified. Patients undergoing concurrent or additional surgeries during the URS procedure were excluded. Data on demographic, perioperative, postoperative, and unplanned reoperation variables were examined for their possible influence on 30-day unplanned readmissions. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study cohort. Continuous and categorical variables were analyzed using independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test, and Chi-square Tests or Fisher's Exact Test, respectfully. Multivariate analysis was performed using stepwise logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 2510 patients were identified within the study period. The majority of children undergoing URS were between 12 and 18 years of age (66.1%), female (56.9%), and had renal calculi (45.2%). Of these, 162 (6.5%) experienced a 30-day unplanned readmission related to the URS procedure. The most common reasons for an unplanned readmission was urinary tract infection (31.4%), new/unresolved stone (28.3%), and postoperative pain (8.2%). Multivariate modelling showed that females (Relative Risk [RR]: 2.03; 95% Confidence Interval [95%CI]: 1.34-3.07), patients with renal stones (RR: 1.77; 95%CI: 1.10-2.83), and inpatients at the time of surgery (RR: 1.61; 95%CI: 1.03-2.51) were more at risk of an unplanned readmission within 30-days of an URS procedure.

CONCLUSION

This study reports on short-term unplanned readmission rates in pediatric patients who underwent an URS procedure. Further it highlights possible predictors of unplanned readmission rates within a sampling of patients from NSQIP affiliated institutions. The findings from this study can be used to guide future studies around the safe use of URS in pediatric patients.

Risk factors of uterine contraction after ureteroscopy in pregnant women with renal colic

Background

Ureteroscopy is widely applied in pregnant women with renal colic, but such patients are easy to experience uterine contraction after surgery. There are many factors which may affect uterine contraction, this study aims to explore the risk factors of uterine contraction triggered by ureteroscopy in pregnant women with renal colic.

Methods

One hundred and one pregnant women were retrospectively analyzed, the patients were hospitalized because of severe renal colic. All patients received ureteroscopy during which double J catheters were inserted into ureters for drainage. Patients received other medical treatments individually according to their condition and uterine contractions were detected by EHG within 12 h after operation. Patients were classified as group A (uterine contraction) and group B (no uterine contraction) according to the presence or absence of continuously regular uterine contraction. Clinical characteristics were collected for further analysis, including history of childbirth, anesthesia method, application of phloroglucinol or not, operation time, Oxygen inhalation or not, pain relief or not after surgery, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) occurred or not. A binary logistic regression analysis model was established to explore whether such clinical characteristics were relevant to uterine contraction after ureteroscopy.

Results

Continuously regular uterine contraction presented in 46 pregnant women within 12 h after ureteroscopy, making the incidence of uterine contraction as high as 45.54%. The presence of uterine contraction was related to the following factors(P < 0.05): history of childbirth (primipara versus multipara)(OR 6.593, 95% CI 2.231–19.490), operation time (each quarter additional) (OR 2.385, 95% CI 1.342–4.238), application of phloroglucinol (yes versus not) (OR 6.959, 95% CI 1.416–34.194), pain relief after surgery(yes versus not)(OR 6.707, 95% CI 1.978–22.738), SIRS occurred after surgery (yes versus not) (OR 0.099, 95% CI 0.014–0.713).

Conclusion

Continuously regular uterine contraction is easy to occur within 12 h after ureteroscopy in pregnant women. SIRS occurred after surgery is a risk factor for uterine contraction; on the contrary, no history of childbirth, shorter operation time, application of phloroglucinol, pain relief after surgery are protective factors.

Clinical presentation and management of urolithiasis in the obstetric patient: a matched cohort study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of pregnancy on the clinical presentation, inpatient procedure rates, and length of hospital stay, on women with urolithiasis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We carried out a matched cohort study using the United States' Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 1999 to 2015. Pregnant women with urolithiasis were compared to age-matched non-pregnant women (1:1) with urolithiasis. Baseline clinical characteristics were compared between the two cohorts and the effect of pregnancy on select inpatient procedural and clinical outcomes was evaluated using conditional logistic regression models.

RESULTS

There were 42,113 pregnant patients diagnosed with urolithiasis during the study period. It was observed that pregnant patients were less likely to present with classic clinical symptoms of urinary tract stones, such as flank pain, OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.56-0.70, and fever, 0.22 (0.16-0.30), but tended to have longer hospital stays. The pregnant patients were less commonly affected by infectious conditions, namely urinary tract infections, 0.56 (0.53-0.59), sepsis, 0.17 (0.14-0.20), and pyelonephritis, 0.34 (0.36-0.44). Invasive and surgical procedures were less commonly performed in pregnant women.

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women admitted with urolithiasis appear to be less symptomatic with fewer interventions and complications than non-pregnant women with urolithiasis.