Does surgical removal of kidney stones help prevent the recurrence of urinary tract infections? A systematic review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Kidney stones disease (KSD) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be associated and reciprocally causal. Aim of this study is to understand the association between stone-free rate and infection clearance or recurrence after surgery.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies are suggesting that removing stones may help to prevent UTIs. A systematic review was done to look at the relationship between UTIs and kidney stones and to find out whether stone removal surgery can help to reduce UTIs. The systematic review as done as per PRISMA checklist and three databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Embase) were searched for articles reporting on patients with recurrent UTIs and kidney stone surgery. All studies in English language were included with 1009 articles identified between 2000 and 2024.In the 10 studies finally selected, 1731 stones procedures were performed. Nine studies demonstrated a significant correlation between stone clearance and resolution of urinary tract infections.

SUMMARY

Surgical management of kidney stones appears to play a significant role in reducing UTI recurrence among patients with recurrent infections. Achieving stone clearance is associated with a higher likelihood of infection resolution and prolongation of infection-free intervals postoperatively.