Universal Ureteral Stent Placement at Hysterectomy to Identify Ureteral Injury: A Decision Analysis

Abstract

Objective Iatrogenic ureteral injury during gynaecological surgery is associated with increased morbidity when not diagnosed during the initial surgery. Preoperative insertion of ureteral catheters may enhance intraoperative recognition of injury and repair, but it is controversial. We sought to analyse the costs of this approach. Design/setting/population A decision-tree analysis of clinical scenarios of using universal ureteral catheterisation compared with no catheterisation was conducted for benign abdominal hysterectomy and radical hysterectomy.