Influence of patient education on morbidity caused by ureteral stents

To investigate the influence of patient education on symptoms and problems caused by ureteral stents.

The German version of the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire was completed by 74 patients with unilateral inserted indwelling stents. Additionally, six self-developed questions regarding type and quality of patient education on pain, urinary symptoms, hematuria, activities permitted, stent function and overall patient education were answered. Correlations between questionnaires, subscores and single items, and the influence on economic aspects were analyzed.

Adjusting for age, sex, intravesical stent length, stent indwelling time, use of analgesics and an alpha-blocker, the correlation between the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire and self-developed questions was -0.40 (95% CI -0.58, -0.19, P < 0.001). The following subscores and items showed a statistically significant correlation with quality of patient education after correction for multiple testing: Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire total score, urinary symptoms subscore, U6, U10, G3, G4 and GQ. No relevant influence of patient education on economic aspects was found.

High-quality patient education on ureteral stent-related symptoms is highly advisable, as it has the potential to reduce these symptoms. However, the influence of information on the incidence and extent of potential problems seems to be limited. A much better approach would be to develop better designed devices and more convenient stent-free procedures.