Treatment of Symptoms After Stent Placement for Urinary Tract Obstruction

Combination Versus Monotherapy With Alpha Blocker and Anticholinergics to Relieve Urinary Stent Symptoms

The purpose of this study is to determine whether combination therapy with Tolterodine ER and Tamsulosin is more effective than monotherapy with tamsulosin alone in reducing stent symptoms. The second purpose is to determine if people have less stent discomfort if they take these medications starting 2 weeks before the stent is placed The investigators hope to show that the addition of Tolterodine ER to Tamsulosin will provide added benefits in reducing stent symptoms in patients who have had unilateral placement of a ureteral stent.

The investigators aim to show that the addition of Tolterodine ER to Tamsulosin will provide added benefits in ameliorating stent-related symptoms in participants who have had unilateral placement of a ureteral stent for urolithiasis. This objective will be assessed by determining the mean difference in the urinary symptom index domain of the Urinary Stent Symptom Questionnaire, which is a validated tool used to assess stent symptoms. The investigators suggest that a 15% further decrease in the index score in the experimental group, compared to the control group would represent a clinically significant improvement in urinary symptoms, based on the prior studies evaluating lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with stents. The investigators hypothesize that combination therapy with Tamsulosin and Tolterodine ER will yield greater symptom relief than tamsulosin alone. Initially, a 7-day design (medical starts 7 days before stent insertion) was conducted to determine whether combination therapy with Tolterodine ER and Tamsulosin is more effective than monotherapy with tamsulosin alone in reducing stent symptoms. Previous studies showed that tolterodine ER therapy significantly reduces urinary symptoms by week 4 of medication therapy. Given the evidence that tolterodine ER requires a longer duration to have maximum benefit, in the second phase, investigators increased the duration of medication to start 2 weeks prior to surgery and continued for 7 days after surgery, for a total of 21 days of medication, to test whether combination therapy is more effective than monotherapy in reducing stent symptoms

Tamsulosin is a selective α1a-blocker (FlomaxTM), generic since 2009. It is an antagonist of α1-mediated contraction of prostate, bladder and proximal urethral smooth muscle, and as such, reduces urethral pressure and resistance, bladder outlet resistance, bladder hyperactivity, and consequently lower urinary tract symptoms.

Tamsulosin is a selective α1a-blocker (FlomaxTM), generic since 2009. It is an antagonist of α1-mediated contraction of prostate, bladder and proximal urethral smooth muscle, and as such, reduces urethral pressure and resistance, bladder outlet resistance, bladder hyperactivity, and consequently lower urinary tract symptoms. Tolterodine ER is an anticholinergic agent, which is used as one of the first line agents for detrusor overactivity.

Tamsulosin is a selective α1a-blocker (FlomaxTM), generic since 2009. It is an antagonist of α1-mediated contraction of prostate, bladder and proximal urethral smooth muscle, and as such, reduces urethral pressure and resistance, bladder outlet resistance, bladder hyperactivity, and consequently lower urinary tract symptoms.

Tamsulosin is a selective α1a-blocker (FlomaxTM), generic since 2009. It is an antagonist of α1-mediated contraction of prostate, bladder and proximal urethral smooth muscle, and as such, reduces urethral pressure and resistance, bladder outlet resistance, bladder hyperactivity, and consequently lower urinary tract symptoms. Tolterodine ER is an anticholinergic agent, which is used as one of the first line agents for detrusor overactivity.

The ureteral stent symptom questionnaire contains 36 items from the 5 subscales: urinary index (11-items, total range of scores 11-54, The range of the mean score is 1-4.9), pain (8-items, total range of scores 5-27. Two items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 0.83-4.5), general health (6-items, total range of scores 4-28. The range of the mean score is 0.67-4.67), work (if stent influence patients work; 7-items, total range of scores 3-15. Four items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 1-5), and sexual matters (4-items, total range of scores 2-10. Two items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 1-5). In all cases, higher scores indicate worse outcomes. The score for each subscale is summed and divided by the number of items on the subscale. The group mean for each subscale is reported, the score is not normalized.

The ureteral stent symptom questionnaire contains 36 items from the 5 subscales: urinary index (11-items, total range of scores 11-54, The range of the mean score is 1-4.9), pain (8-items, total range of scores 5-27. Two items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 0.83-4.5), general health (6-items, total range of scores 4-28. The range of the mean score is 0.67-4.67), work (if stent influence patients work; 7-items, total range of scores 3-15. Four items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 1-5), and sexual matters (4-items, total range of scores 2-10. Two items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 1-5). In all cases, higher scores indicate worse outcomes. The score for each subscale is summed and divided by the number of items on the subscale. The group mean for each subscale is reported, the score is not normalized.

The ureteral stent symptom questionnaire contains 36 items from the 5 subscales: urinary index (11-items, total range of scores 11-54, The range of the mean score is 1-4.9), pain (8-items, total range of scores 5-27. Two items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 0.83-4.5), general health (6-items, total range of scores 4-28. The range of the mean score is 0.67-4.67), work (if stent influence patients work; 7-items, total range of scores 3-15. Four items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 1-5), and sexual matters (4-items, total range of scores 2-10. Two items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 1-5). In all cases, higher scores indicate worse outcomes. The score for each subscale is summed and divided by the number of items on the subscale. The group mean for each subscale is reported, the score is not normalized.

The ureteral stent symptom questionnaire contains 36 items from the 5 subscales: urinary index (11-items, total range of scores 11-54, The range of the mean score is 1-4.9), pain (8-items, total range of scores 5-27. Two items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 0.83-4.5), general health (6-items, total range of scores 4-28. The range of the mean score is 0.67-4.67), work (if stent influence patients work; 7-items, total range of scores 3-15. Four items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 1-5), and sexual matters (4-items, total range of scores 2-10. Two items are not included in the calculation. The range of the mean score is 1-5). In all cases, higher scores indicate worse outcomes. The score for each subscale is summed and divided by the number of items on the subscale. The group mean for each subscale is reported, the score is not normalized.

Inclusion Criteria: Patients with unilateral ureteral stent placement for urolithiasis Exclusion Criteria: Pre-existing lower urinary tract symptoms Active urinary tract infection Contraindication to anticholinergic medication Prior hypersensitivity or allergy to tolterodine Patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class C) Patients with uncontrolled close (narrow) angle glaucoma Patients with urinary retention Current anticholinergic use Chronic pelvic pain syndromes (e.g. acute/chronic prostatitis, interstitial cystitis) Women who are pregnant or nursing Under 18 years of age Prior hypersensitivity or allergy to tolterodine Patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class C) Patients with uncontrolled close (narrow) angle glaucoma Patients with urinary retention Unable to provide informed consent