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Skipping routine catheterization after ureteroscopic lithotripsy reduced day-one urinary symptoms without more complications

World journal of urology (PubMed)Jul 16, 2026

AI-summarized from the linked source. Educational brief, not medical advice.

Brief summary

In a four-center randomized trial of 180 patients undergoing ureteroscopic lithotripsy, omitting routine indwelling catheterization reduced day-one lower urinary tract symptoms and distressing symptom memories, with comparable fever and urinary-retention rates.

What NurseJet pulled from the source

This prospective multicenter trial randomized 180 patients undergoing ureteroscopic lithotripsy to no routine indwelling catheter or postoperative catheterization. Day-one lower urinary tract symptoms occurred in 9.9% without a catheter versus 24.7% with a catheter, and urgency was lower at one and four hours. At one month, distressing memories of urinary symptoms were reported by 7.7% versus 25.8%. Fever and urinary-retention complication rates did not differ significantly. The study supports reconsidering routine catheter use for eligible patients, but it does not establish that catheter omission is appropriate when a clinical indication is present.

Why this matters for nurses

Medical-surgical and perioperative nurses manage postoperative voiding assessment, catheter care, discomfort, and discharge teaching. This trial matters because a routine device intended for short-term management also contributed to symptoms and lasting distress in eligible patients.

Bedside takeaway

For eligible ureteroscopy patients, omitting a routine catheter reduced urinary symptoms without a detected rise in fever or retention.

How This Applies in Practice

Use this when: Monitoring postoperative recovery after ureteroscopic lithotripsy under a facility-approved catheter or no-catheter pathway.

On your shift

  • Document voiding, urgency, pain, bladder distention, and retention concerns using the pathway's timing and thresholds.
  • Escalate inability to void, worsening pain, fever, or other postoperative concerns through the surgical team pathway.
Keep in mind: Catheter omission is not appropriate for every patient. Follow the procedure-specific protocol, facility policy, and patient-specific provider orders.

Key takeaways

  • The prospective randomized trial included 180 patients at four centers.
  • Day-one lower urinary tract symptoms occurred in 9.9% without a catheter and 24.7% with a catheter.
  • Distressing symptom memories at one month were also less common without routine catheterization.
  • Fever and urinary-retention rates did not differ significantly between groups.

Practice implications

  • Follow the postoperative catheter plan and document voiding, urgency, pain, bladder distention, and retention concerns. When the pathway omits a catheter, use the unit's monitoring and escalation criteria; when a catheter is clinically indicated, continue appropriate device care rather than generalizing the trial beyond its population.

Limitations & cautions

  • The trial involved 180 patients at four centers and followed distressing memories for one month. The abstract does not describe masking or provide subgroup detail about who may still require catheterization. Comparable complication rates in this sample do not prove that omission is safe for every patient or procedure.
  • AI-summarized from the linked source. Review the original article before applying to practice.

Citations

Exact source links

Public citations are filtered to exact credible source pages. Homepage-only or invalid links stay in admin review and are not shown here.

World journal of urology (PubMed)

World journal of urology (PubMed). Omitting catheterization after ureteroscopic lithotripsy: a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

Open original source

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42461413/

Professional education only

This summary does not replace clinical judgment, facility policy, provider orders, or official guidelines. Verify practice changes against the original source and local protocol.

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