Symptomatic Urinary Tract Infections in Renal Transplant Recipients after Cystoscopy for Ureteral Stent Removal

INTRODUCTION: Symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) is a known complication of cystoscopy with ureteral stent removal. However, little is known about the incidence and risk factors for post-cystoscopy UTI in renal transplant recipients, who likely represent a high-risk cohort. Our aim was to determine the infection rate following cystoscopy with stent removal in this population and identify opportunities for care improvement. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of office cystoscopies with stent removal in renal transplant recipients performed at a single institution from April 2012 through May 2014. Strict criteria were used to determine presence of symptomatic UTI within one month of the procedure. Fisher's exact tests were completed to examine associations between patient characteristics and post-transplant outcomes with UTI. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of symptomatic UTI after cystoscopy with ureteral stent removal in renal transplant recipients is less than three percent and comparable to post-cystoscopy UTI risk in the general population. Female sex is associated with symptomatic UTI. Further investigation is needed to identify groups most at risk for UTI and other complications.