Stitch Reminder' To Prevent and Decrease the Incidence of 'Forgotten Stent' Cases: A Retrospective Study

Objective: With increasing practice in urology, use of double j stents has widely increased for various indications and simultaneously increased incidence of forgotten stents too. Methods: We are presenting a simple, cheap and comfortable ‘Stitch reminder’ technique to prevent forgotten stent. For it, we left the suture in situ in per cutaneous nephrolithotomy cases and took a single, non-absorbable, subcuticular suture to right or left flank region as ‘stitch reminder’ for non-percutaneous nephrolithotomy cases. Results: We retrospectively evaluated such cases between May 2020 to March 2023. 578 such patients in which stents and ‘stitch reminder’ were placed were evaluated. There demographic profile, indications for stenting, stent removed or not were recorded. 557 patients came for follow up and both stent and stitch removed. 17 patients died of their primary illness and one patient couldn’t be traced. Conclusions: So ‘Stitch reminder’ technique we used is safe, effective, economical with no complication and also effective in preventing ‘forgotten and retained stents’ and associated complications.