Purpose: Postoperative ureteroscopy patients can develop bladder spasms, complaints of pain, and the urgent need to void during emergence from anesthesia. Discomfort leads to patient agitation, resulting in a risk to patient safety. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a preemptive preoperative belladonna and opium (B + O) suppository on postoperative bladder comfort, narcotic requirements, and length of stay of ureteroscopy patients.

Design: A prospective double-blind study was conducted.

Methods: Fifty adult outpatients scheduled for ureteroscopy were assigned to routine care or a B + O suppository immediately after anesthesia induction. Urinary urgency and pain were assessed every 15 minutes.

Findings: Urgency significantly decreased in the B+O group, with less than half reporting urgency at discharge.

Conclusions: Pre-emptive preoperative administration of a B + O suppository before ureteroscopy results in decreased urinary urgency during the postoperative recovery. Pre-emptive preoperative interventions can result in positive outcomes before discharge.