Ureteroscopy: Patient Positioning and Room Setup

Proper room setup is a key component to the successful outcome of any surgical procedure. This is especially true of ureteroscopic procedures as these procedures are technology intensive and space is at a premium. A poorly positioned back table or piece of equipment can not only extend operative times but can also potentially endanger the patient, result in damage to expensive equipment, and can cause significant discomfort and inconvenience for the surgeon. Equally important, if not more so, is correct patient positioning. The ability for the surgeon to access structures of interest is solely dependent on patient positioning. Concomitantly, it is the surgeon’s responsibility to reduce or eliminate the risk of position-related injuries. In this chapter we discuss surgical suite ergonomics, room setup, X-ray positioning and safety, and choice of irrigant. We also discuss appropriate patient positioning in the dorsolithotomy and prone positions as well as associated complications.