Abstract: PD35-07
Sources of Funding: None

Introduction

Up-to-date, urology guidelines introduce safety guidewire (SGW) as an integral tool in ureteroscopy and recommended its routine use. However, the necessity of SGW placement in endourological procedures lack evidence and is being suggested as an expert opinion. Present study aimed to evaluate the use of SGW placement and its necessity in treatment of ureteral stones with semi-rigid ureteroscopy (s-URS).

Methods

A total of 160 patients with ureteral stones were stratified according to ureteral stone location and prospectively randomized into two groups' according to SGW usage or not in s-URS between July 2014 and August 2016. Ureteroscopy and litotripsy were done with a semi-rigid ureteroscope of 6.4/7.8 Fr (Olympus) and laser. Chi-square and student t-test were used for comparing data._x000D_

Results

Of all patients, in 79 interventions were done under the guidance of SGW (SGW group) and in 81 without the guidance of SGW (No- SGW group). In No-SGW group 10 patients needed SGW introduction as it was difficult to access or advance the ureteroscope into the ureteral orifice or throughout the ureter and in SGW group SGW could not be introduced in 8 patients. These patients were excluded from the study. There were no significant differences in patient demographics and findings between the two groups, except female/male patient ratio and mean BMI which was higher in the SGW group (Table 1-2). Among all patients only 1 patient (1.3%) in SGW group experienced a complication of Clavien 3 and/or higher, which was ureteral perforation.

Conclusions

The preliminary results of our study reveal that, routine use of SGW placement does not help to decrease complication and/or treatment failure rates. Safety guidewire concept has to be re-evaluated with further prospective randomized trials.

Funding

None