Stone Management in Europe Before COVID-19

What is it about?

The study investigated the increase in upper urinary tract (UUT) stone diagnoses and procedures in Germany, France, and England over the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of UUT stone hospital episodes increased by 8% in Germany, 26% in France, and 15% in England. The largest increase was observed in N20.2 (calculus of kidney with calculus of ureter) at 170%, 161%, and 74% respectively for Germany, France, and England. The number of total stone procedures also increased by 3%, 38%, and 18% in Germany, France, and England, respectively. The shift towards ureteroscopy (URS) as the dominant surgical procedure was observed across the countries. The lowest volume of stone surgeries was observed in England, which may be related to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines' approach to watchful waiting as the first-line stone treatment. The differences among the countries may lead to questions of under- or overtreatment of patients with stones. The study suggests that the demand for URS in Europe will continue to increase over the coming years.

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Why is it important?

The rising prevalence of upper urinary tract (UUT) stones in Europe is a significant burden on patients and healthcare providers (HCPs). Understanding the trends and patterns in diagnoses and procedures in different countries can help inform healthcare policies and strategies to address this issue. Key Takeaways: 1. The number of UUT stone hospital episodes increased by 8% in Germany, 26% in France, and 15% in England between 2010 and 2019. 2. The largest increase in UUT stone diagnoses was observed in N20.2 (calculus of kidney with calculus of ureter) across the different ICD-10 codes. 3. Across the three countries, the dominant surgical procedure shifted from ESWL to URS. 4. The volume of surgical procedures increased faster than the volume of diagnoses in France and England over the period. 5. France had the most reported stone diagnoses and the lowest number of stone surgical procedures in England.