Pietropaolo A. et al., 2023: Worldwide trends of practice and intervention in paediatric endourology: comparison of European versus Non-European responses.

Pietropaolo A, Geraghty R, Griffin S, Skolarikos A, Seitz C, Bujons A, Sriprasad S, Subramonian S, Smith D, Contreras P, Bernardo N, Esperto F, Emiliani E, De Coninck V, Tailly T, Keller EX, Talso M, Tonyali S, Sener ET, Hameed BZ, Tzelves L, Ventimiglia E, Juliebø-Jones P, Mykoniatis I, Tsaturyan A, Bres-Niewada E, Somani BK.
Department of Urology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom.
EAU Young Academic Urologists (YAU) Urolithiasis and Endourology Working Group Arnhem, Arnhem, Netherlands.
Department of Urology, Freeman Hospital, Freeman Road, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, United Kingdom.
Department of Paediatric Urology, University Hospitals Southampton, NHS Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom.
Department of Urology, Sismanogleio Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Department of Urology, Fundación Puigvert, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Department of Urology, Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, Dartford, United Kingdom.
Department of Urology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, Brimingham, United Kingdom.
Institute of Urology, University College Hospital London, London, United Kingdom.
Department of Urology, Hospital Alemán de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Department of Urology, Hospital del Clinicas Jose de San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Department of Urology, Campus Biomedico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Department of Urology, AZ Klina, Brasschaat, Belgium.
University Hospital Ghent, Department of Urology, Gent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Department of Urology, University hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Department of Urology, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, Milano, Italy.
Department of Urology, Istanbul University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Department of Urology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Department of Urology, Father Muller Medical College, Karnataka, India.
Division of Experimental Oncology, Unit of Urology, Urological Research Institute, IRCCS, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
Department of Urology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Department of Urology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Department of Urology, Erebouni Medical Center, Yerevan, Armenia.
Department of Urology, Roefler Memorial Hospital, Pruszków, Poland.
Faculty of Medicine, Łazarski University, Warsaw, Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: The area of paediatric endourology is unique and is recognised to be challenging, and it requires a certain level of focused training and expertise. Our aim was to conduct a worldwide survey in order to gain an overview regarding the current practice patterns for minimally invasive treatments of paediatric upper urinary tract stone patients.

Material and methods: The survey was distributed between December 2021 and April 2022 through urology sections and societies in United Kingdom, Latin America and Asia. The survey was made up of 20 questions and it was distributed online using the free online Google Forms (TM).

Results: 221 urologists answered the survey with 56 responses each from India, South America and UK and 53 responses from the rest of Europe (15 countries). In total, 163 responders (73.7%) managed paediatric stone patients in their daily practice. Of the responders, 60.2% were adult urologists and 39.8% were paediatric urologists. 12.9% adult urologists and 20.4% paediatric urologists run independent clinics while some run combined adult and paediatric clinics sometimes with the support of the nephrologists. Only 33.9% urologists offered all surgical treatments [extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), ureteroscopy (URS) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS)].

Conclusions: Treatment of paediatric stones can vary according to country and legislations. Based on the results of this survey, minimally invasive methods such as URS and mini PCNL seem to have become more popular. In most institutions a collaboration exists between adult and paediatric urologists, which is the key for a tailored decision making, counselling and treatment success.

Cent European J Urol. 2023;76(3):245-250. doi: 10.5173/ceju.2023.79. Epub 2023 Sep 7. PMID: 38045778 FREE PMC ARTICLE