Preventing the forgotten ureteral stent: implementation of a web-based stent registry with automatic recall application.

Objectives: To describe and analyze a unique computerized system that tracks ureteral stents and automatically sends a notice by e-mail to clinical staff if a stent becomes overdue for removal.

Methods: We have developed an electronic stent register (ESR) and stent extraction reminder facility (SERF) located within our hospital computer network. After stent insertion, a stent "episode" is created in the ESR with a mandatory maximal stent life (MSL).

Size matters: a survey of how urinary-tract stones are measured in the UK.

Background And Purpose: Stone size forms the basis of management pathways in patients with urolithiasis. We carried out a questionnaire-based audit to find out how stone size is routinely measured by radiologists in the UK.

Materials And Methods: A series of 831 anonymous questionnaires concerning how stone size is assessed using four imaging modalities--plain abdominal radiograph (KUB film), intravenous urogram (IVU), ultrasound, and CT--were sent to 277 radiology departments.

Calcium urolithiasis, blood pressure and salt intake.

Objectives: To determine whether stone-formers have higher BP than controls drawn from the general population and matched for age, sex and ethnic origin and to compare the relationship between sodium and calcium excretion in the two groups.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-six patients [mean (+/-standard deviation, SD) = 49.0 +/- 11.