Use of the Memokath Urethral Stent in the management of ileal conduit stomal stenosis

Use of a Memokath™ 045 temperature-controlled memory alloy stent for treating upper renal calyx calyceal neck atresia: a case report

Renal calyceal neck atresia is a rare disorder. There is no clear guidance for standard treatment of this condition. The Memokath™ 045 temperature-controlled memory alloy stent is commonly used in the treatment of urethral strictures, but it has not been used for treating calyceal neck atresia. We present a case of a 44-year-old female patient with left lumbar pain who underwent two stages of treatment to resolve calyceal neck atresia located at the upper calyx of her left kidney. The first procedure was transurethral ureteroscopy combined with percutaneous recanalization of the left upper calyx calyceal neck atresia. One 6 F internal stent and one 8 F internal stent were placed, and she was discharged with a left nephrostomy tube. After her urinary tract infection was fully resolved, the patient returned for the second procedure of percutaneous upper renal calyx calyceal neck metal stent implantation. The temporary stents and nephrostomy tube were successfully removed. Our findings suggest that the Memokath™ 045 temperature-controlled memory alloy stent is an effective choice for treating calyceal neck atresia.

Bladder Neck Contracture after Transurethral Resection of the Prostate for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treated with a Thermo-Expandable Metal Stent (Memokath® 045)

Bladder neck contracture following transurethral resection of the prostate is a rare but feared complication. Treatment is often challenging with significant recurrence rates. In this report, we present a complicated case treated with a simple procedure. A 75-year-old male developed urinary retention due to bladder neck contracture after transurethral resection of the prostate. He was initially treated with several transurethral incisions, but the obstruction recurred few months after each incision. At urethroscopy, the bladder neck was completely obstructed. Using both retrograde and antegrade endoscopy, it was possible to place a through-and-through guidewire, after which the length of the stricture could be measured. Subsequently, the stricture was slightly dilated, and a double-cone thermo-expandable metal stent (Memokath 045) could be placed. The correct position was monitored with antegrade and retrograde endoscopy, securing the proximal cone expanded above the stricture and the distal cone above the sphincter. The patient was discharged the same day with spontaneous voiding and minimal residual urine. Twenty-one months after stent placement, the patient still had no complaints of his urination. Thus, the double-cone thermo-expandable metal stent, Memokath 045, may be a durable option for treatment of complicated bladder neck contracture after TURP for benign prostatic hyperplasia.