Multi-length or 24 cm ureteric stent? A multicentre randomised comparison of stent-related symptoms using a validated questionnaire

Abstract

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

• One of the suggested factors for stent-related symptoms is that excess distal intravesical stent mass may cause bladder irritation. There is a lack of studies investigating this in a randomised controlled fashion using a validated questionnaire.
• This study compared two of the most commonly used length of stents (a 30 cm multi-length vs a 24 cm long stent) and showed no significance difference in stent-related symptoms in patients with either of these stents.

Objective

• To investigate whether excessive redundant intravesical stent component contributes to the severity of stent-related symptoms in patients with a ureteric stent. We compared stent-related symptoms in patients who had either a standard 24 cm or multi-length ureteric stent.

Conclusions

• This study did not find any difference in symptoms between the 24 cm or multi-length Contour stents. However, the study was not powered to detect small differences particularly for the pain symptom domain.
• Stents should only be used sparingly and the stent dwell-time should be minimised.