Straight-Up Approach to Bedside Ureteral Stents

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Patient Care

Background:

• Ureteral stent placement is a common urological intervention, typically performed in the operating room.
• Bedside stent placement may reduce delays, costs, radiation exposure, and risks associated with general anesthesia.
• This study introduces a novel bedside technique for ureteral stent placement without fluoroscopic guidance.

Discussion:

• The described technique utilizes conscious sedation (ketamine) in the Emergency Department and local anesthesia on hospital wards.
• A flexible cystoscope and an extra-long guidewire facilitate stent placement through the obstructed ureteral orifice.
• Post-operative plain film X-ray confirms accurate stent positioning.

Key Insights:

• Bedside double-j ureteral stent placement is a simple and reproducible technique.
• This method effectively bypasses the need for operating room resources and general anesthesia.
• The procedure is safe and reproducible in select patient populations.

Outlook:

• Further research could explore wider adoption of bedside stent placement protocols.
• This approach has the potential to optimize resource allocation in healthcare settings.
• Evaluating long-term outcomes and patient satisfaction with bedside stent placement is warranted.