SP4.12 An Audit of the investigations of suspected ureteric/kidney calculus in adults in Great Western Hospital, Swindon

Aim Renal or ureteric colic secondary to urinary stones is common, with an annual incidence of 1–2 cases per 1000 people. It also has a high recurrence rate ranging from 50% to 80%. Most of these patients presenting to the A&E are initially managed by the general surgery on-call juniors and then subsequently referred to urology. NICE guidelines (NG118) recommend urgent low-dose non-contrast CT of the urinary tract for adults with suspected renal colic and ultrasound scans instead of CT if a woman is pregnant. It also recommends measuring serum calcium for adults as a part of the metabolic assessment. The audit aimed to evaluate the local practice compared to the NICE guidelines. Methods A retrospective review of 101 non-pregnant adult patients presenting to the A&E or surgical assessment unit with suspected renal or ureteric colic was conducted (58 patients for cycle 1, 43 patients for cycle 2). Patients were consecutively recruited from the general surgery on-call list (Cycle 1: March-May 2024) (Cycle 2: October - December 2024). Verbal demonstration, email reminders, and added notes to the handover sheet were completed before the completion of cycle 2. Results 100% of CT of urinary tract was performed within 24 hours of presentation in both cycles. Serum calcium was measured in 21% and 72% of patients in Cycle 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusion All patients had a CT of urinary tract performed within the timeframe recommended by NICE Guidelines. There has been a significant improvement in the measurements for calcium.