To assess urologists' perceptions and current practices of using suction-based techniques and technologies in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) for kidney stones.
A customized web-based 28 items questionnaire was created. All participation was voluntary. The survey was hosted on Google Forms between 15th November 2023 and 25th November 2023. Descriptive statistics were applied to demographic details and categorical responses.
632 responses were received. 56.5% were from Asia. 41.6% of respondents underwent an endourology fellowship. Personal experience of suction for PCNL was noted in 55.4% and 42.7% for RIRS. 34.9% believe that currently there is enough evidence that suction can improve stone free rates and lower complications for both endourology surgeries. 55.69% believe that as evidence evolves, suction has the potential to be a game changer in endourology management of urolithiasis. 55.7% believe that the leading barrier to the adoption of suction in endourology is the lack of availability of technology. Other barriers include lack of procedural standardization (37.65%), lack of evidence (34.9%), lack of proper training (29.58%) and lack of advocation in the current guidelines (17.72%).
Our survey shows that urologists are keen to adopt suction for PCNL and RIRS but the lack of definitive evidence, standardization, equipment availability and training preclude them from using so. More high-level evidence regarding the utility of suction in endourology is required for its routine adoption in clinical practice.
Urology. 2024 Dec 12 [Epub ahead of print]
Vineet Gauhar, Bhaskar K Somani, Christian Seitz, Daniele Castellani, Tzevat Tefik, Satyendra Persaud, Deepak Ragoori, Vishesh Gauhar, Karl Tan, Mohamed Amine Lakmichi, Nariman Gadzhiev, Vigen Malkhasyan, Wissam Kamal, Yiloren Tanidir, Chu Ann Chai, Azimdjon N Tursunkulov, Yasser Farahat, Etienne Xavier Keller, Ben H Chew, Thomas Herrmann, Olivier Traxer, Steffi Kar Kei Yuen
Department of Urology, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore., Department of Urology, University Hospitals Southampton, NHS Trust, Southampton, UK., Department of Urology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria., Urology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria delle Marche, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy., Department of Urology, Istanbul University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey., Division of Clinical Surgical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago., Department of Urology, Asian Institute of Nephrology & Urology, Irram Manzil Colony, Hyderabad, Telangana, India., Division of Computer Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore., Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Quezon City, Philippines., Department of Urology, University Hospital Mohammed the VIth of Marrakesh, Marrakesh, Morocco., Department of Urology, Saint-Petersburg State University Hospital, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation., Endourological Department, A. I. Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Moscow, Russian Federation., Urology Unit, King Fahd General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia., Department of Urology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey., Department of Surgery, Urology Unit, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia., Urology Division, AkfaMedline Hospital, Tashkent, Uzbekistan., Endo-Urology & Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sheikh Khalifa Hospital, Dubai, UAE., Department of Urology, University Hospital Zurich, 10 CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland., Department of Urology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada., Department of Urology, Spital Thurgau AG, Kantonsspital Frauenfeld, Pfaffenholzstrasse 4, CH 8501, Frauenfeld, Switzerland., Department of Urology AP-HP, Sorbonne University, Tenon Hospital, Paris, France., S.H. Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: .