Complications of ureteroscopy: analysis of predictive factors

Although overall and major complication rates of 10% to 20% and 0% to 6%, respectively, have been observed in large series of ureteroscopy, to our knowledge no systemic analysis to determine factors predictive of these complications has been reported.

We retrospectively reviewed all ureteroscopies performed at our institution for calculous disease from January 1997 through September 1999. A total of 322 procedures were performed by 5 attending surgeons. Intraoperative and immediate postoperative complications were identified. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed to identify associated factors with ureteral perforation and postoperative complications as the dependent variables.

Bivariate analysis showed a significant association of ureteral perforation with increased operative time (p = 0.0001). In addition, we noted a significant association of postoperative complications with stones in the kidney (p = 0.0004), operative time (p = 0.05) and decreased surgeon experience (p = 0.0035) as well as a trend toward significance for the type of ureteroscope used (p = 0.0609). In multivariate logistic regression models ureteral perforation remained highly associated with operative time (p = 0.0005) when controlling for the other factors. Similarly decreased surgeon experience and a stone in the kidney were predictive of postoperative complications when controlling for the other factors (p = 0.004).

Longer duration of the ureteroscopic procedure is strongly associated with ureteral perforation. The likelihood of immediate postoperative complications is greater when renal calculi are treated and less when the surgeon is more experienced.