Primary investigation on quality of life in patients with indwelling double J ureteral stents / 中华泌尿外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To assess the symptoms of patients due to indwelling double ureteral stent and their impact on quality of life. Methods Sixty patients were assessed by the specific questionnaire. Average time of indwelling stent was 21.4 d. All patients finished the special questionnaire when the stent was removed by cystoscope, including specific urinary symptoms, IPSS (international prostate symptom score), VAS (visual analogic scale) and QOL (quality of life). To assess the pain feeling, the patients were divided into 3 groups by varied methods of anesthesia, including local anesthesia, balance anesthesia and general anesthesia. Results Insertion or removal of ureteral stents with local anesthesia provoked pain in 11 of 12 (91%) patients and 8 of 10 (80%) patients in balance anesthesia group. But 38 patients of general anesthesia group did not feel any pain when inserting stents. In 54 of 60 (90%) patients, the indwelling catheter provoked one or several urinary symptoms nocturia (70%), frequency (65%), urgency (60%), tenesmus (58%), dysuria (52%), hematuria (35 % ) and incontinence (30 %). 75 % of the patients experienced pain, in the flank and lower abdomen. 29 (48 %) patients were found to be unsatisfied with their quality of life due to the indwelling stent. Among them, 18 (62%) patients demonstrated that the provoked overactive bladder symptoms were the main influence factor of QOL, compared with 5(17 %) patients complaining pain feeling. Conclusions Urinary symptoms and pain associated with indwelling double J ureteral stents could interfere the daily activities and 50 % of patients were found reduced quality of life. Overactive bladder symptoms were the main influence of QOL during the time of indwelling stent.