Double-J stenting: initial management of injured ureters recognized late after gynecological surgery

Is endourological intervention a suitable treatment option in the management of iatrogenic thermal ureteral injury? A contemporary case series

BACKGROUND

Iatrogenic ureteral injury (IUI) is relatively rare, however, can cause sepsis, kidney failure, and death. Most cases of IUI are not recognized until the patient presents with symptoms following pelvic surgery or radiotherapy. Recently, minimally invasive approaches have been used more frequently in the treatment of IUI. This study evaluates urological intervention success rates and long-term clinical outcomes according to the type of IUI following hysterectomy.

METHODS

Twenty-seven patients who underwent surgery due to IUI in our clinic following hysterectomy were evaluated between January 2011 and April 2018. Patients were classified according to the time of diagnosis of IUI. The IUI cases diagnosed within the first 24 h following hysterectomy were designated as "immediate" IUI, while that diagnosed late period was considered 'delayed' IUI. The type of IUI was categorized as "cold transection" if it was due to surgical dissection or ligation without any thermal energy, and "thermal injury" if it was related to any energy-based surgical device. Patient information, laboratory and perioperative data, imaging studies, and complications were assessed retrospectively.

RESULTS

All cases of delayed diagnosis IUI were secondary to laparoscopic hysterectomy (P = 0.041). Patients with thermal injury to the ureter were mostly diagnosed late (delayed) (P = 0.029). While 31% of the patients who underwent endourological intervention were diagnosed immediately, 69% of them were diagnosed as delayed. These rates were roughly reversed for open reconstructive surgery: 73% and 27% (P = 0.041), respectively. We detected eight ureteral complications in our patient cohort following the urological intervention. In all these failed cases, the cause of IUI was a thermal injury (P = 0.046) and the patients had received endourological treatment (P = 0.005). No complications were detected in patients who undergo open urological reconstructive surgery. While one of the patients who developed urological complications had an immediate diagnosis, seven were in the delayed group (P = 0.016).

CONCLUSION

Endourological intervention is performed more frequently in delayed diagnosed IUI following hysterectomy, however, the treatment success rate is low if thermal damage has developed in the ureter. Surgical reconstruction is should be preferred in these thermal injury cases to avoid further ureter-related complications.

Percutaneous antegrade ureteral stent placement: single center experience

PURPOSE

We aimed to present our clinical experience with percutaneous antegrade ureteral stent placement in a single center.

METHODS

Electronic records of patients who underwent percutaneous image-guided ureteral stent placement between September 2005 and April 2017 were reviewed. A total of 461 patients (322 males, 139 females; age range, 19-94 years; mean age, 61.4±15 years) were included in the study. Patients were classified into two main groups: those with neoplastic disease and those with non-neoplastic disease. Failure was defined as persistence of high level of serum creatinine or an inability to place stents percutaneously. Postprocedural complications were grouped as percutaneous nephrostomy and stent placement related complications.

RESULTS

A total of 727 procedures in 461 patients were included in the study: 654 procedures (90%) in 407 patients (88.3%) were in the neoplastic group and 73 procedures (10%) in 54 patients (11.7%) were in the non-neoplastic group. Our technical success rates were 97.7% and 100% and complication rates were 3.1% and 4.1% in neoplastic and non-neoplastic groups, respectively. Seven stents retrievals and 112 balloon dilatations were performed successfully.

CONCLUSION

Percutaneous antegrade ureteral stent placement is a safe and effective method for management of ureteral injuries and obstructions due to both malignant and benign causes when the retrograde approach has failed.

Laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy with an intraoperative retrograde ureteroscopy-assisted technique for distal ureteral injury secondary to gynecological surgery: a retrospective comparison with laparoscopic ureteroneocystostomy

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to compare the operative and postoperative outcomes of laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy (LAP-UU) using a retrograde ureteroscopy-assisted technique with laparoscopic ureteroneocystostomy (LAP-UNC) in treating ureteral injury after gynecological surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study analyzed 60 ureteral injury repairs performed between May 2010 and February 2016 in patients who underwent either LAP-UU using the retrograde ureteroscopy-assisted technique (n = 26) or LAP-UNC (n = 34). Demographic parameters, operative variables and perioperative outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. The chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test and Student's t test were used for statistical analyses.

RESULTS

Demographic and clinical data revealed no significant differences between patients in each group in terms of age, body mass index, length of obstruction, incidence of postoperative urinary leakage, incidence of urinary tract infection during hospitalization, oral antibiotics, mean hospital stay, incidence of recurrent obstruction, rate of conversion to open surgery and mean operative time. The LAP-UU group had significantly less estimated blood loss (85 ± 40 vs 120 ± 35 ml, p = .0006) and a significantly lower incidence of vesicoureteral reflux (grade I) on cystography (0/26 vs 6/34, p = .031) during a mean follow-up of 36.5 months (range 7-71 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with LAP-UNC, LAP-UU is also a technically feasible and safe option for repairing distal ureteral injury secondary to gynecological surgery. The intraoperative retrograde ureteroscopy-assisted technique during LAP-UU contributes to precise localization of the lesion, reduces intraoperative bleeding, enables sufficient dissection of the intramural ureter and preserves its natural antireflux mechanism.

Management of iatrogenic ureteric injury with retrograde ureteric stenting: an analysis of factors affecting technical success and long-term outcome

Background Iatrogenic ureteral injuries arise as serious complication following obstetrics, gynecological, general, and urological surgery with incidence in the range of 0.5-10%. Retrograde placement of double-J ureteric stent is a possible treatment option if the injury is not recognized at the time of surgery. Purpose To assess technical success and long-term outcome associated with retrograde ureteric stent insertion for iatrogenic ureteric injury. Material and Methods Between 1999 and 2011, 26 patients with initially unrecognized iatrogenic ureteric injury underwent initial management with retrograde ureteric stenting. Full case-notes were available for review in 25 patients. Results The mean interval from injury to attempted stenting was 19.4 days. Successful retrograde ureteric stenting was achieved in 21/25 patients (81%). Retrograde stenting failed in four patients, and nephrostomy followed by alternative procedures were performed instead. At a median follow-up interval of 9.7 months, normal anatomy was demonstrated on 12/21 patients (57%) and a stricture was observed in 6/21 patients (28%) with three requiring surgical intervention. Conclusion Retrograde stenting is a safe and efficient initial management in patients with iatrogenic ureteric injuries.

An Extremely Rare Complication of Ureteral Pigtail Stent Placement: A Case Report

Double-J (DJ) stents are the main tools used in urological practice for prevention and treatment of obstruction. Stenting is also mandatory after complicated ureteroscopy or TUL (Transureteral Lithotripsy). Known complications are upper migration of DJ stents into the kidney and lower migration to the bladder. In a man with an impacted right lower ureteral stone, a DJ stent was placed because the ureteroscope was not passed from an intramural ureter. We reported a very rare complication of DJ ureteral stent placement with intravascular migration to the pulmonary arteries, which was removed percutaneously through the right femoral vein under fluoroscopic guidance.

[Ureterovaginal fistulae]

Ureterovaginal fistulae are pathological communications between the ureter and the vagina; it commonly occur as a rare but serious sequela of unrecognized distal ureteral injuries during pelvic operations. Patients may present symptoms as leakage of urine from the vagina, flank pain and fever; in some cases it could be possible also the loss of renal function. The purpose of this study is to review the articles from 1991 to 2014 to evaluate the most correct diagnostic procedures and endourological and surgical techniques used in the management of ureterovaginal fistula. Nowadays computered tomography and retrograde pielography are the most commonly diagnostic modalities used to identify fistulous tract and to describe its anatomical position. The major of ureterovaginal fistulae can be successfully managed by conservative methods. Modern endourological treatment will result in resolution of a ureterovaginal fistula if retrograde or anterograde passage of a suitable internal stent is feasible. When stenting failed or in complicated cases, ureteral reimplantation is necessary. Ureteroneocystostomy, psoas hitch and Boari flap are three different possible surgical techniques used to realized an ureteral reimplantation. Both open and mini invasive (laparoscopy and robot assisted) surgical approach have proved successful.

Intracaval migration: an uncommon complication of ureteral Double-J stent placement

A Double-J stent may be used for ureteral injury because of a gynecologic procedure. Intravascular migration of a Double-J stent into the inferior vena cava as an uncommon complication of ureteral stent placement is reported. Percutaneous removal of the migrated stent was performed through the left femoral vein under angiographic and fluoroscopic guidance.