Primary versus deferred ureteroscopy for the management of obstructive anuria secondary to ureteric urolithiasis in children: a prospective randomized study

To compare the role of primary and deferred ureteroscopy (URS) in the management of obstructive anuria secondary to ureteric urolithiasis in pediatric patients. This prospective randomized study included 120 children aged ≤ 12 years who presented with obstructive anuria secondary to ureteric urolithiasis between March 2019 and January 2021. The children were subdivided into group A, which included children who had undergone primary URS without pre-stenting, and group B, which included children who had undergone URS after ureteric stenting. All children were clinically compensated and sepsis-free. Patients with underlying urological structural abnormalities were excluded. The operative time, improvement of renal functions, stone-free rate, and complications were compared between the two groups. At the 1-month follow-up, urine analysis; kidney, ureter, and bladder radiography; and ultrasonography were performed. The patient characteristics of both groups did not show any significant difference. Primary URS had failed in ten children (16.6%) in group A. Moreover, failure of stenting was noted in six patients (11%) in group B. The mean operative time for group B was significantly lower than that for group A (p ≤ 0.001). The stone-free rate was significantly higher in group B (p ≤ 0.001). The rate of overall complications was higher in group A. Deferred URS is preferable over primary URS in the management of obstructive anuria secondary to ureteric urolithiasis”. In children because of the lower need for ureteric dilatation, higher stone- free rate, shorter procedure time, and lower complication rate.