Complications of ureteroscopy: a complete overview

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this paper was to give a complete overview of all published complications associated with ureteroscopy and their according management and prevention in current urological practice.

Materials and methods: This review was registered in PROSPERO with registration number CRD42018116273. A bibliographic search of the Medline, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science databases was performed by two authors (V.D.C. and E.X.K.). According to the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome (PICO) study design approach and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) standards, a consensus between these authors was found relating to the thematic structure of this review.

Results: Ureteral stent discomfort, ureteral wall injury and stone migration are the most frequently reported complications. The worst complications include urosepsis, multi-organ failure and death. Incidence rates on these and other complications varied extensively between the reviewed reports.

Conclusion: Ureteroscopy seems to be associated with more complications than currently reported. The present overview may help urologists to prevent, recognize and solve complications of ureteroscopy. It may also stimulate colleagues to perform prospective studies using standardized systems for classifying complications. These are warranted to compare results among different studies, to conduct meta-analyses, to inform health care workers and to counsel patients correctly about possible risks of ureteroscopy.

Keywords: Complications; Nephrolithiasis; Overview; Retrograde intrarenal surgery; Ureteroscopy; Urolithiasis.