Barriers to Healthcare: Non-English Speaking and Elderly Patients More Likely to Have Retained Ureteral Stents

Objective: To identify factors for retained ureteral stents in our institution of patients receiving de novo ureteral stents. Ureteral stent placement, a commonly performed urologic procedure, is a temporary measure and requires timely removal. Retained ureteral stents may result in significant morbidities and need for additional procedures. Materials and Methods: We queried for all de novo ureteral stents indicated for calculi at our institution between July 2019-June 2021. Retained ureteral stents were defined as stents that remained indwelling for a period greater than 90 days. Patients with metallic stents, stents on strings, pediatric patients, and planned therapy outside 90 days were excluded. Patient demographic information including gender, race, age, insurance status, non-English speaking status as well as clinical data including location of presentation and indication were collected. Characteristics of patients with retained stents were compared to those without. Results: Four hundred fifty-seven de novo stent patients meeting study criteria were identified, of which 61 (13%) patients had retained stents. The median duration of retention was 24 days +/− 32 days (IQR). Patients with retained stents were older than those with stents removed within 90 days (62.1 vs 57.2 years, P = .03). Retained stents were more common among non-English-speaking patients (13% vs 5%, P = .012). Conclusion: Stent retention was found to be associated with non-English speaking status and older age. Healthcare barriers in language and age may lead to increased morbidity due to stent retention.