Early Stent Removal After Kidney Transplantation: Is it Possible?

BACKGROUND: The most important surgical complications of renal transplantation are stenosis and obstruction of the ureterovesical anastomosis. Routine use of ureteral stents can prevent this complication, but the optimal time for ureteral stent use is still controversial. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to compare the benefits and complications of early and delayed stent removal after surgery. Early ureteral stent removal can decrease some complications, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), bladder irritation symptoms, persistent hematuria, and the risk of stent crusting; its benefits include easier stent removal and shorter hospitalization time. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who underwent kidney transplantation from May 2011 until March 2012 in Modarres Hospital were included in this study. We classified the patients into three groups, based on time of stent removal (10, 20, and 30 days after transplantation). RESULTS: Ninety-one patients were studied; urologic complications (hydroureteronephrosis and urinoma) in these three groups were analyzed and showed no statistical significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: We can remove the ureteral stent earlier after kidney transplantation with no increase in the prevalence of surgical complications.