Preoperative Ureteral Stent Placement and Intraoperative Ureteral Injury

Preoperative ureteral stent placement during colorectal surgery did not lead to earlier detection of ureteral injury. Of 6481 patients, 15% had stents placed, with 0.4% experiencing a ureteral injury. Hematuria and UTI risk increased with stent use, but intraoperative identification of injury was not associated with stent placement. Iatrogenic ureteral injury was rare, contrasting with the relatively frequent use of preoperative stents.