Emergent Stenting for Obstructive Nephrolithiasis During the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to the Prepandemic Era

COVID-19 has rapidly evolved into a global pandemic. In an attemp to reduce transmission, patients were advised to avoid in-person medical evaluations when possible. Accordingly, we hypothesize that fewer patients have sought care and undergone treatment for emergent urological conditions such as nephrolithiasis. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients undergoing emergent ureteral stent placement for obstructive nephrolithiasis from March 15, 2020 through May 31, 2020 and compared them to similar patients from a year earlier. We found that notably fewer patients underwent emergent stent placement during the COVID-19 era and that these patients were notably sicker. These findings suggest that indirect sequelae of the pandemic include delays in seeking care for conditions unrelated to the virus. Strategies such as increased use of in-office stenting and improved patient counseling may help reduce delays in care and improve clinical outcomes for patients with nephrolithiasis during subsequent peaks in the ongoing pandemic.