Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) versus sham TENS in adult ED patients with abdominal pain: A clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: There is a growing consensus that the risks of current pharmacologic analgesics warrant consideration of alternative modalities for acute and chronic pain control. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in adult emergency department (ED) patients presenting with abdominal pain. METHODS: We conducted a patient and observer blinded randomized controlled trial comparing TENS to sham TENS. The study was conducted at a large suburban academic ED. Patients with abdominal pain and a verbal numeric pain scale (VNS) of 5 or greater were randomized to TENS or sham TENS applied via 4 skin pads, one in each abdominal quadrant for 30 min. The primary outcome was change in pain scores 30 min after the intervention. Our study had 80% power to detect a between group difference of 1.5 points on the VNS. RESULTS: 81 patients were randomized to TENS (n = 41) or sham TENS (n = 40). Groups were similar in baseline characteristics. The mean (SD) reductions in pain scores were 1.9 (2.1) and 1.7 (2.6) in patients treated with TENS and sham TENS respectively (P = 0.81). Use of rescue medications in patients with treated with TENS and sham TENS was similar (49 vs 55% respectively, P = 0.66). CONCLUSIONS: Application of TENS to the abdominal wall did not result in more effective pain relief than sham TENS in adult ED patients with abdominal pain.

A prospective evaluation of patient-reported outcomes during follow-up of ureteral stones managed with medical expulsive treatment (MET).

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for ureteral stones predominantly assess the pain. Despite the lack of evidence, multiple trials studying the efficacy of medical expulsive therapy (MET) have used PROs to define spontaneous stone passage (SSP). We aim to objectively evaluate the accuracy of PROs to predict successful SSP and the probability of patient's symptom resolution after stone passage. A single-center, prospective observational study recruiting adults with isolated, uncomplicated, ≤ 10 mm ureteral calculus was conducted. All patients received 4 weeks of MET, and SSP was confirmed by low-dose non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (NCCT). The accuracy of PROs: "pain cessation," "decreased pain," "stone seen," and "stone capture" to predict successful SSP were evaluated in 1 month. The patient's symptom resolution rate was assessed at 1 and 4-month follow-ups. A total of 171 patients were included, and the overall SSP rate was 66.4% (n = 99). Patient-reported pain cessation, stone visualization, and stone capture were associated with successful SSP, but their accuracy was 59, 53, and 43%, respectively. Moreover, 25% of patients reporting complete pain cessation still harbored ureteral calculus. Pain resolved in 91% of patients after SSP at a 4-month follow-up. While hematuria and nausea resolved in all patients, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were not resolved in 17% of patients. We concluded that patient-reported pain cessation, stone visualization, and stone capture predict successful SSP, but confirmatory imaging is required due to the poor accuracy of these measures. The significant rates of non-pain-related symptoms indicate their significant contribution to patient morbidity. Clinical Trial Registration: Registered in Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI), Registration number: CTRI/2020/10/028777 (29th October 2020).

Management of pediatric ureterolithiasis in the emergency room: A single institution review and new management pathway.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Urolithiasis is an increasingly common condition seen in children with an annual incidence of 2-3% in children under 18, and up to 10% in adolescents. Treatment of stones varies including observation, IV hydration, pain management, medical expulsive therapy (MET), or surgery. Though well-studied and often used in adults, MET (alpha-adrenergic antagonists to facilitate passage of ureteral stones), is not routinely prescribed in pediatric patients. OBJECTIVE: The goals of this study were to review a quaternary children's hospital's emergency room frequency of MET utilization for ureterolithiasis as well as evaluate the clinical outcomes of children who were prescribed MET compared to those treated with pain control alone. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review was performed of children 2 months to 18 years with ureterolithiasis who presented to a quaternary children's hospital ED from 2011 to 2017. The primary outcome was the frequency of MET prescribed. Secondary outcomes included the following comparisons in patients who received MET and analgesics with those who received analgesics alone: hospital admission rate, length of hospitalization, emergency room re-presentation rate, surgical intervention, spontaneous stone passage, urology consultation, how the urology consult affected MET utilization, referral to outpatient urology and nephrology clinics, and CT utilization in the ED. Comparisons were performed utilizing Fischer's exact and t-tests. RESULTS: 139 patients were included with a mean age of 14 years (SD 4.14), 42% male. There was no difference between age, gender, stone size, return to the ED, serum creatinine, or length of hospitalization (if admitted) between patients who were and were not placed on MET. The rate of stone passage was significantly higher for those placed on MET (45%) versus not (20%) (p = 0.0022). Urology was consulted for 93% of the cases where children were prescribed MET, compared with only 52% of cases where MET was not prescribed (p = <0.0001). DISCUSSION: In our experience MET was significantly underutilized in patients where urology was not involved. This is similar to a study by Itano et al. which found urology consultation in the ED significantly increased use of tamsulosin for ureterolithiasis in adults. Children with ureterolithiasis placed on MET had a significantly higher rate of stone passage compared to children managed by pain control alone. CONCLUSION: Given the benefits of MET to increase the rate of spontaneous stone passage it may be considered first line therapy for treatment of children with ureterolithiasis.

Primary ovarian endometrioid stromal sarcoma presenting with reno-ureteral colic.

BACKGROUND: Endometrioid Stromal Sarcomas are an infrequent group of mesenchymal tumors that we must take into account in the differential diagnosis despite representing only 0.2% of tumors of the female genital tract, as they can go unnoticed until advanced stages. CASE PRESENTATION: Fifty-fourth year-old woman referred from the Urology department due to incidental finding of adnexal mass in MRI during examination after renoureteral colic, in the case of a 50 mm solid cystic mass in LE. MT were within the normal range, and the CT scan observed this mass in contact with the left ureter. The surgery was completed with hysterectomy and contralateral adnexectomy without incident and chemotherapy treatment was not added. The pathological result was ovarian tissue with low-grade endometrial sarcoma. Currently, after two years of follow-up, the patient remains stable without any recurrence of disease. CONCLUSIONS: Endometrioid stromal sarcomas are rare tumors that originate in the endometrial stroma, the ovarian location being rare. Management lies in surgical treatment, and adjuvant therapy is sometimes necessary in advanced stages.

Ectopic Intrauterine Device Revealed by Ureteral Colic in a 37-Week Pregnant Woman: Case Report.

Copper T intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a popular long-acting reversible contraceptive method. The most common reasons for contraceptive failure are expulsion and extrauterine migration. We report a case of a 28-year-old female, G13P3, 37 weeks pregnant, who presented to the hospital for left abdominal flank pain. The patient was admitted for treatment of left ureteral colic. The woman went into labour, and Caesarean Section was performed due to foetal distress. During the surgery, an inspection of the peritoneal cavity revealed a copper IUD embedded in the granulous tissue located in the left lateral abdominal region, which was extracted. No uterine scar tissue could be identified macroscopically. The migration of an IUD in the abdominal cavity is a rare finding, and coexistence with third-trimester pregnancy is an infrequent but serious event due to potential visceral complications. Higher gravidity can be associated with an increased risk of IUD migration in women with a non-scarred uterus.

Does early intervention improve outcomes for patients with acute ureteral colic?

OBJECTIVES: Early surgical intervention is increasingly employed for patients with ureteral colic, but guidelines and current practice are variable. We compared 60-day outcomes for matched patients undergoing early intervention vs. spontaneous passage. METHODS: This multicentre propensity-matched cohort analysis used administrative data and chart review to study all eligible emergency department (ED) patients with confirmed 2.0-9.9 mm ureteral stones. Those having planned stone intervention within 5 days comprised the intervention cohort. Controls attempting spontaneous passage were matched to intervention patients based on age, sex, stone width, stone location, hydronephrosis, ED site, ambulance arrival and acuity level. The primary outcome was treatment failure, defined as rescue intervention or hospitalization within 60 days, using a time to event analysis. Secondary outcome was ED revisit rate. RESULTS: Among 1154 matched patients, early intervention did not reduce the risk of treatment failure (adjusted hazard ratio 0.94; P = 0.61). By 60 days, 21.8% of patients in both groups experienced the composite primary outcome (difference 0.0%; 95% confidence interval - 4.8 to 4.8%). Intervention patients required more hospitalizations (20.1% vs. 12.8%; difference 7.3%; 95% CI 3.0-11.5%) and ED revisits (36.1% vs. 25.5%; difference 10.6%; 95% CI 5.3-15.9%), but (insignificantly) fewer rescue interventions (18.9% vs. 21.3%; difference - 2.4%; 95% CI - 7.0 to 2.2%). CONCLUSIONS: In matched patients with 2.0-9.9 mm ureteral stones, early intervention was associated with similar rates of treatment failure but greater patient morbidity, evidenced by hospitalizations and emergency revisits. Physicians should adopt a selective approach to interventional referral and consider that spontaneous passage probably provides better outcomes for many low-risk patients.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: L'intervention chirurgicale précoce est de plus en plus utilisée pour les patients atteints de coliques urétérales, mais les lignes directrices et la pratique actuelle sont variables. Nous avons comparé les résultats à 60 jours pour les patients appariés subissant une intervention précoce par rapport au passage spontané. LES MéTHODES: Cette analyse de cohorte multicentrique par appariement de propension a utilisé des données administratives et l'examen des dossiers pour étudier tous les patients admissibles des services d'urgence (ED) ayant des calculs urétéraux confirmés de 2,0-9,9 mm Ceux qui avaient planifié une intervention de calcul dans les cinq jours constituaient la cohorte d'intervention. Les témoins tentant de passer spontanément ont été appariés aux patients d'intervention en fonction de l'âge, du sexe, de la largeur du calcul, de l'emplacement du calcul, de l'hydronéphrose, du site de l'urgence, de l'arrivée de l'ambulance et du niveau d'acuité. Le résultat principal était l'échec de traitement, défini comme l'intervention de sauvetage ou l'hospitalisation dans les 60 jours, utilisant un temps à l'analyse d'événement. Le résultat secondaire était le taux de revisite à l'urgence RéSULTATS: Sur 1154 patients appariés, une intervention précoce n'a pas réduit le risque d'échec du traitement (ratio de risque ajusté = 0,94 ; P = 0,61). Au bout de 60 jours, 21,8 % des patients des deux groupes avaient atteint le résultat primaire composite (différence = 0,0 % ; intervalle de confiance à 95 % -4,8 % à 4,8 %). Les patients d'intervention ont nécessité plus d'hospitalisations (20,1 % contre 12,8 % ; différence = 7,3 % ; IC 95 %, 3,0 à 11,5 %) et de nouvelles visites à l'urgence (36,1 % contre 25,5 % ; différence = 10,6 % ; IC 95 %, 5,3 à 15,9 %), mais (de manière non significative) moins d'interventions de sauvetage (18,9 % contre 21,3 % ; différence = 2,4 % ; IC 95 %, -7,0 à 2,2 %). CONCLUSIONS: Chez des patients appariés présentant des calculs urétéraux de 2,0 à 9,9 mm, l'intervention précoce a été associée à des taux similaires d'échec du traitement mais à une morbidité plus importante des patients, comme en témoignent les hospitalisations et les revisites aux urgences. Les médecins devraient adopter une approche sélective de l'orientation interventionnelle et considérer que le passage spontané offre probablement de meilleurs résultats pour de nombreux patients à faible risque.

Hydronephrosis severity clarifies prognosis and guides management for emergency department patients with acute ureteral colic.

OBJECTIVE: In emergency department patients with ureteral colic, the prognostic value of hydronephrosis is unclear. Our goal was to determine whether hydronephrosis can differentiate low-risk patients appropriate for trial of spontaneous passage from those with clinically important stones likely to experience passage failure. METHODS: We used administrative data and structured chart review to evaluate a consecutive cohort of patients with ureteral stones who had a CT at nine Canadian hospitals in two cities. We used CT, the gold standard for stone imaging, to assess hydronephrosis and stone size. We described classification accuracy of hydronephrosis severity for detecting large (≥ 5 mm) stones. In patients attempting spontaneous passage we used hierarchical Bayesian regression to determine the association of hydronephrosis with passage failure, defined by the need for rescue intervention within 60 days. To illustrate prognostic utility, we reported pre-test probability of passage failure among all eligible patients (without hydronephrosis guidance) to post-test probability of passage failure in each hydronephrosis group. RESULTS: Of 3251 patients, 70% male and mean age 51, 38% had a large stone, including 23%, 29%, 53% and 72% with absent, mild, moderate and severe hydronephrosis. Passage failure rates were 15%, 20%, 28% and 43% in the respective hydronephrosis categories, and 23% overall. "Absent or mild" hydronephrosis identified a large subset of patients (64%) with low passage failure rates. Moderate hydronephrosis predicted slightly higher, and severe hydronephrosis substantially higher passage failure risk. CONCLUSIONS: Absent and mild hydronephrosis identify low-risk patients unlikely to experience passage failure, who may be appropriate for trial of spontaneous passage without CT imaging. Moderate hydronephrosis is weakly associated with larger stones but not with significantly greater passage failure. Severe hydronephrosis is an important finding that warrants definitive imaging and referral. Differentiating "moderate-severe" from "absent-mild" hydronephrosis provides risk stratification value. More granular hydronephrosis grading is not prognostically helpful.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Chez les patients des services d'urgence (SU) atteints de colique urétérale, la valeur pronostique de l'hydronéphrose n'est pas claire. Notre objectif était de déterminer si l'hydronéphrose peut différencier les patients à faible risque appropriés pour l'essai de passage spontané de ceux qui ont des calculs cliniquement importants susceptibles de subir un échec de passage. MéTHODES: Nous avons utilisé des données administratives et un examen structuré des dossiers pour évaluer une cohorte consécutive de patients atteints de calculs urétéraux qui avaient subi une tomodensitométrie dans neuf hôpitaux canadiens de deux villes. Nous avons utilisé la tomodensitométrie, l'étalon-or pour l'imagerie des calculs, pour évaluer l'hydronéphrose et la taille des calculs. Nous avons décrit la précision de la classification de la gravité de l'hydronéphrose pour la détection de gros calculs (> 5 mm). Chez les patients tentant un passage spontané, nous avons utilisé la régression bayésienne hiérarchique pour déterminer l'association de l'hydronéphrose avec l'échec du passage, défini par le besoin d'intervention de sauvetage dans les 60 jours. Pour illustrer l'utilité pronostique, nous avons signalé la probabilité d'échec de passage avant le test chez tous les patients admissibles (sans directives sur l'hydronéphrose) à la probabilité d'échec de passage post-test dans chaque groupe d'hydronéphrose. RéSULTATS: Sur 3251 patients, 70% d'hommes et d'âge moyen 51 ans, 38% avaient un gros calcul, dont 23%, 29%, 53% et 72% avec une hydronéphrose absente, légère, modérée et sévère. Les taux d'échec au passage étaient de 15%, 20%, 28% et 43% dans les catégories d'hydronéphrose respectives et de 23% dans l'ensemble. L'hydronéphrose « absente ou légère ¼ a permis d'identifier un sous-ensemble important de patients (64%) présentant de faibles taux d'échec au passage. Une hydronéphrose modérée prédisait un risque d'échec de passage légèrement plus élevé, et une hydronéphrose sévère un risque sensiblement plus élevé. CONCLUSIONS: L'absence d'hydronéphrose et une hydronéphrose légère permettent d'identifier les patients à faible risque, peu susceptibles d'avoir un échec de passage, qui peuvent être appropriés pour un essai de passage spontané sans imagerie CT. Une hydronéphrose modérée est faiblement associée à des calculs plus gros mais pas à un échec de passage significativement plus important. L'hydronéphrose sévère est une constatation importante qui justifie une imagerie définitive et une référence. Différencier l'hydronéphrose « modérée-sévère ¼ de l'« absence-légère ¼ fournit une valeur de stratification du risque. Un classement plus granulaire de l'hydronéphrose n'est pas utile sur le plan pronostique.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome in patients with acute obstructive upper tract urinary stone: a risk factor for urgent renal drainage and revisit to the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: In patients seen in the emergency department (ED) with acute stone obstruction many risk factors that indicate need for urgent renal drainage are known. However, in patients discharged from ED without renal drainage factors that can minimize revisit to the emergency department are not fully identified. We evaluated SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome) as a risk factor for urgent renal drainage and revisit to the ED in patients with acute stone colic during their ED visit. METHODS: Retrospective review was performed of patients presenting to a tertiary academic emergency department (ED) from an obstructing ureteral or UPJ stone with hydronephrosis confirmed on an abdominal and pelvic CT scan. Data evaluated over a 3-year period included stone size, presence of UTI, presence or absence of SIRS and other clinical variables as risk factors for urgent renal drainage and ED revisits. RESULTS: 1983 patients with urolithiasis were seen at the ED and 649 patients had obstructive urolithiasis on CT scan. SIRS was diagnosed in 15% (99/649) patients. 54/99 (55%) patients with SIRS underwent urgent renal drainage compared to 99/550 (17%) in non-SIRS patients. In a multivariate analysis SIRS was a predictor of urgent intervention compared to non-SIRS patients (odds ratio 4.6, p < 0.05). SIRS was also associated with increased risk for revisits to the ED (6.9% with SIRS vs. 2.4% with no SIRS, odds ratio 2.9, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Presence of SIRS in obstructive urolithiasis patients was an independent risk factor of acute urologic intervention and revisits to the ED. A timely consultation with a urologist following discharge from ED for obstructive stone patients with SIRS who had no acute renal drainage may prevent revisit to the ED. Evaluation for SIRS in addition to other clinical risk factors should be considered while making management decision in patients with acute stone obstruction.

Early ureteroscopic lithotripsy in acute renal colic caused by ureteral calculi.

PURPOSE: We aimed at comparing the success and complications of early semirigid ureteroscopy (URS) and elective URS in ureteral calculi with renal colic that do not respond to analgesics. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 690 patients with obstructive ureteral stones who underwent URS with stone retrieval. 247 patients who underwent early URS within the first 12 h were classified as group I and 443 patients who underwent elective URS as group II. Both groups were compared in terms of age, sex, creatinine, eGFR, stone size, laterality, location and number of stones, type of lithotriptor, presence of hydronephrosis and success and complication rates. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 50.4 (18-89 years) (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age, eGFR, side, presence of hydronephrosis, fever, mucosal damage, stone migration, perforated ureter, ureteral avulsion, ureteral stent insertion at the end of the surgery and sepsis (p > 0.05). Both groups had male dominance (p > 0.05). Creatinine was significantly lower in Group I (p < 0.05). The mean stone size was also significantly lower in Group I (p < 0.05). Middle and proximal ureteral calculi were more common in Group II (p < 0.05). Multiple stones were higher in Group II (p < 0.05). The dominant type of lithotriptor used was pneumatic in Group I and laser in Group II (p < 0.05). Stone-free rates (SFRs) were higher in Group I (98% vs 90% in the first month) (p < 0.05). Postoperative hematuria and infection were more common in Group II (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In selected cases, early ureteroscopy is an effective and safe method for distal ureteral calculi smaller than 10 mm that are painful and resistant to analgesic treatment.

Seasonal Variation in the Frequency of Presentation with Acute Ureteral Colic and Its Association with Meteorologic Factors.

Introduction: A seasonal variation in the frequency of acute stone presentations has been observed in studies from the United States, Africa, and Asia. The increased incidence of acute stone presentations during periods of warm weather has been attributed to both the dehydrating effect of elevated temperatures and the vitamin D related increase in calciuria during periods of increased sunshine. The aim of this study is to establish whether the association between various meteorologic parameters and the frequency of acute stone presentations also exists in a European climate. Methods: All computed tomography kidneys, ureters and bladder scans performed by Emergency Departments within the Dublin Midland Hospital Group between June 2017 and September 2018 were identified from the national radiologic database. The date of scan in addition to stone parameters (site, size, and side) was recorded. These data were then correlated with weather recordings obtained from the Irish meteorologic office. Results: A total of 2441 patients were investigated for suspected renal colic during the study period of which 781 were confirmed to have ureteral stones. An increased frequency of acute stone presentations was observed during the summer months of both years (June, July, and August). Unexpectedly, the heat wave of summer 2018 was not associated with an increased frequency of nephrolithiasis compared with summer 2017. Conclusion: There is an increased frequency of acute nephrolithiasis during the summer months in Ireland. Health care services should be tailored to expect an increase in service needs during these periods of increased activity.

[Management of ureteric colic with ketorolac and nifedipin vs. ketorolac and tamsulosin in the emergency room]. / Manejo del cólico ureteral con ketorolaco y nifedipina frente a ketorolaco y tamsulosina en el servicio de urgencias.

BACKGROUND: Ureteric colic is the most common symptom of lithiasis. It is caused by the presence of stones accumulated in the renal papillae. These stones often migrate down the ureter, causing a ureteric colic, characterized by a severe pain in the lumbar region. The aim of this study was to compare the use of ketorolac and nifedipine vs. ketorolac and tamsulosin for the medical treatment of pain caused by stones in the lower ureter. METHODS: Longitudinal study of 150 patients of 21-years or older with stones in the lower third of the ureter. 50% received ketorolac and nifedipine and the other 50%, ketorolac and tamsulosin. The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) was used for the assessment of pain at admission and 4 and 12 hours after the treatment was administered. We used descriptive and inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon, chi-squared and Poisson regression). RESULTS: Mean age was 38.17 years; 54.7% were male and 45.3% female. NPRS mean was 9.69 (initially), 7.42 (at 4 hours) and 2.05 (at 12 hours). There were no significant differences in the initial measurement of pain between groups (p < 0.005); four and 12 hours later the pain decreased more in patients managed with ketorolac and nifedipine, p = 0.0041. There were no complications nor side effects in both treatments. CONCLUSION: The use of ketorolac and nifedipine is more effective than the use of ketorolac and tamsulosin for the management of pain caused by lower ureteral colic during the first 12 hours of treatment.

Introducción: el cólico renoureteral es la manifestación más común de la litiasis. Se trata de la presencia de cálculos en las papilas renales que frecuentemente migran hacia el uréter, ocasionando un cólico renoureteral, caracterizado por un dolor intenso en la región lumbar o en sus flancos. Se buscó comparar el uso del ketorolaco y nifedipino frente a ketorolaco y tamsulosina para el manejo del dolor ocasionado por litiasis en el tercio inferior del uréter. Métodos: estudio longitudinal en 150 pacientes mayores de 21 años con litiasis en tercio inferior del uréter. Al 50% se le administró ketorolaco y nifedipino y al otro 50% ketorolaco y tamsulosina. Se utilizó la escala numérica de dolor (END) al ingreso, a las 4 y a las 12 horas. La estadística fue descriptiva e inferencial (U de Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon, chi cuadrada y regresión de Poisson). Resultados: la edad promedio fue 38.17 años y 54.7% de los pacientes fueron hombres. Inicialmente la END tuvo una media de 9.69, de 7.42 a las 4 horas y de 2.05 a las 12 horas. En la medición inicial del dolor no hubo diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos (p > 0.005); 4 y 12 horas después el dolor disminuyó más en los pacientes manejados con ketorolaco y nifedipino: p = 0.0041 y p = 0.000, respectivamente. No hubo complicaciones ni efectos secundarios en ambos tratamientos. Conclusión: la mancuerna ketorolaco y nifedipino es más efectiva que la del ketorolaco y la tamsulosina para el manejo del dolor del cólico renoureteral inferior durante las primeras 12 horas de tratamiento.

A retrospective analysis of nebulized versus intravenous fentanyl for renal colic.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of nebulized fentanyl used for analgesia in renal colic. MATERIALS/METHODS: This research was planned as a randomized, blinded study in which prospectively collected data were analyzed retrospectively to compare nebulized and intravenous (iv) fentanyl therapies. Patients with renal colic with 'moderate' or worse pain on a four-point verbal pain score (VPS) or with pain of 20mm or above on a 100-mm visual analogue score (VAS) at time of presentation were randomized into iv fentanyl (n=62) or nebulized fentanyl (n=53) study groups. Decreases in VAS and VPS scores at 15 and 30min compared to baseline, rescue analgesia requirements and side-effects between the groups were compared. RESULTS: Both iv fentanyl and nebulized fentanyl provided effective analgesia in renal colic patients at the end of 30min. However, iv fentanyl provided more rapid and more effective analgesia than nebulized fentanyl. Patients receiving iv fentanyl had lower rescue analgesia requirements than those receiving nebulized fentanyl (37.1% vs 54.7%), although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.058). In addition, side-effects were more common in the iv fentanyl group compared to the nebulized fentanyl group (22.1% vs 9.4%), although the difference was also not significant (p=0.058). CONCLUSION: Nebulized fentanyl provides effective analgesia in patients with renal colic. However, iv fentanyl exhibits more rapid and more powerful analgesic effects than nebulized fentanyl. Nonetheless, due to its ease of use and few potential risks and side-effects the nebulized form can be used as an alternative in renal colic.

Effectiveness of Selective Use of Intravenous Pyelography in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Ureteral Colic.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether IV pyelography (IVP) is required routinely for all patients presenting to the ED with ureteral colic. METHODS: A randomized prospective study was conducted with 2 patient groups-a routine IVP group, in which all patients underwent IVP, and a selective IVP group, in which patients were treated, observed, and released without undergoing IVP unless they experienced continued symptoms. The study was performed in a large university-affiliated, community hospital ED. Participants were patients aged 18-65 years with signs and symptoms consistent with ureteral colic. RESULTS: Among the 40 patients enrolled in the routine IVP group, 26 had positive studies, 8 of which necessitated hospitalization. Among the 41 patients randomized to the selective IVP group, there were only 19 IVPs performed, of which 6 were positive and 4 necessitated hospitalization. Compared with the routine IVP group, there were 54% fewer FVPs performed and a 51 % lower admission rate in the selective IVP group. Despite the fact that fewer IVPs were performed in the selective IVP group, clinical outcomes in the 2 groups were similar, without significant complication in either group. CONCLUSIONS: IVPs do not need to be routinely performed for all patients presenting to the ED with ureteral colic. The decision to perform an IVP may be dictated by symptoms that persist after initial evaluation and treatment.