Is Urethral Catheter Necessary After Ureteroscopy and DJ Stent Placement?
Is Urethral Catheter Necessary After Ureteroscopy and DJ Stent Placement?
After semirigid or flexible ureteroscopy operations where a DJ stent was placed, there is
 diversity in practice of placing a urethral catheter. The presence of vesico-ureteral reflux
 due to DJ stents has been proven to exist and can cause flank pain and UTI due to retrograde
 urine flow. The main purpose to place a urethral catheter is to keep a low-pressure bladder
 in order to prevent reflux alongside the DJ stent. However, this practice doesn't have an
 evidence-based support on the literature and some surgeons also advice patients to void
 frequently in the early postoperative period to avoid these aforementioned complications. The
 purpose of this study is to compare the 2 different approaches after ureteroscopy and DJ
 stent placement by evaluating the patient-reported outcomes along with laboratory tests.
Ureteral stents and foley catheters are the most commonly used disposables in urological
 practice. Ureteral double J (DJ) stents are frequently used to relieve ureteral obstruction
 and almost as a routine part of the ureteroscopic procedures by many surgeons.

 DJ stent placement has the potential side effects such as flank pain and urinary tract
 infection (UTI) due to retrograde urine flow. As the bladder pressure increases during
 voiding, urine reflux occurs both beside and through the DJ stent. In order to overcome these
 problems, stents with antireflux mechanisms are produced, however these new stents comes with
 higher costs compared to conventional stents.

 Foley catheters are the hands and feet of all urologists and insertion of a foley catheter
 can easily keep the bladder pressures as low as required. The practice of insertion of a
 foley catheter into the urinary bladder after ureteroscopy for kidney or renal stones and DJ
 stent placement doesn't have an evidence-based background and it routinely depends on the
 choice of the surgeon.

 The aim of this study is to evaluate whether routine insertion of a bladder catheter
 following ureteroscopy and DJ stent placement can reduce stent-related problems due to reflux
 and urinary tract infections.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  adult patients

 -  Patients with indications for semirigid or flexible ureteroscopy and DJ stent
 placement for unilateral ureteral and/or kidney stones according to European
 Association of Urology Urolithiasis Guidelines

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  none