Endourology in a Resource-Limited Setting: Current Practices and Key Challenges in an Ethiopian Tertiary Hospital

Objectives Endourology has advanced rapidly in developed countries, offering minimally invasive solutions for complex urological conditions. However, in Ethiopia, the practice of endourology faces enormous challenges and remains limited in tertiary hospitals. This study aims to evaluate the current state of endourology in an Ethiopian public tertiary hospital and identify the challenges hindering its growth. It provides insight into endourological practices within a resource-limited healthcare setting Methods Conducted in the urology unit of a leading tertiary hospital in Ethiopia. A comprehensive retrospective review of medical records was performed for all patients who underwent diagnostic and therapeutic endourological procedures at the hospital between September 2023 and August 2024. Results The results reveal that a total of 2,139 endourological procedures were performed, making up 70.4% of all urological interventions by the unit during this period most being done for diagnostic purposes. Bladder outlet obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (33.2%) was the most common indication, followed by ureteric DJ stent removal (20.1%) and bladder tumor evaluation (17.3%). Limited availability of essential equipment, including for retrograde intrarenal surgery, restricted the scope of interventions Conclusion Despite the significant advantages of minimally invasive endourological techniques, widespread adoption in Ethiopian public hospitals remains constrained by limited equipment, a shortage of trained personnel, and insufficient funding.