Aims and objectives
To estimate the effic acy of preoperative tamsulosin in ureteral dilatation during ureteroscopy compared with placebo confirmed by imaging in adult patients.
Patients and methods
The study was conducted in the period between November 2017 and November 2018 at Assiut Urology and Nephrology Hospital. A total number of 50 patients diagnosed as having distal ureteric stone of large size (>1 cm in length) were included in this study. They were divided into two groups (I and II), with 25 patients in each group. Group I received a tablet of tamsulosin 0.4 mg/day, and group II received placebo. Patients were followed up for 8 weeks.
Results
A total of 50 patients were enrolled. Group I (25 patients) consisted of 17 men and eight women, and group II (25 patients) consisted of 18 men and seven women. The mean age group in tamsulosin group I was 35.5 years, whereas the placebo group II had a mean age of 36.5 years (=0.950). The mean stone size was 10.5 mm (10, 12 mm) for group I and 10.5 mm (10, 13 mm) for group II. All patients underwent ureteroscopy. Active instrumental ureteral dilatation was always needed in the control group versus 20 (80%) cases of the tamsulosin group (=0.017). Such difference did not significantly affect the rate of stentless ureteroscopy, which was eight (32%) versus five (20%) cases for tamsulosin and control groups, respectively (=0.237).
Conclusion
Preoperative tamsulosin seems to be a good aid for ureteral dilatation during ureteroscopy with no effect on the need for ureteral stents. Further studies are needed to confirm the results on a bigger sample size and to outline the time frame during which the drug will give maximum effect.