Appendix interposition for total left ureteral reconstruction

Whole ureter replacement with Yang-Monti principle: successful treatment of challenging conditions

BACKGROUND

No clear consensus has been reached on the reconstruction of long-segment or total ureter discontinuation. Here we present our experience using the Yang-Monti technique in total ureter reconstruction.

METHODS

This study was a single-center retrospective study of patients who underwent Yang-Monti ileal whole ureter reconstruction (from the ureteropelvic junction[UPJ] to the ureterovesical junction). Data were collected on patients' baseline characteristics, stricture etiology, the time interval between insult and surgical repair, pre/postoperative serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), split renal function, complications during admission and follow-ups, and the indwelling durations of JJ tubes and nephrostomy tubes, if presented.

RESULTS

Seven patients underwent Yang-Monti ileal ureter reconstruction in 2010-2020 at our hospital. One of the patients underwent single-session bilateral ureter repair. Radiation therapy-related fibrosis and degloving injury were the most common etiologies for ureter injury. The median interval between ureter insult and operation was 8 months. The median follow-up was 36.7 months. The average operation time was 11.4 h, and the average blood loss was 273 ml. Postoperatively, no significant differences were found in serum creatinine, eGFR, or split renal function. As for postoperative complications, two patients experienced ileus and were treated conservatively. One patient had UPJ stenosis, which resolved after re-anastomosis surgery 11 months later. Metabolic acidosis or electrolyte imbalance was not reported.

CONCLUSION

We found that ileal replacement of total ureteral loss using the Yang-Monti principle is effective and durable. This is the largest cohort study conducted with more than 2 years of follow-up.

Stentless repair of left urethral defect with appendiceal interposition: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Various methods have been described in the repair of ureteral defects. Here, it is aimed to present the repair performed with appendiceal interposition without any double J stent for the left ureteral defect in a patient who was operated on urgently due to obstruction with metastatic and locally advanced colon tumor.

CASE PRESENTATION

An 82-year-old male patient was taken to an emergency operation with the diagnosis of ileus. A tumor involving the left ureter was detected in the sigmoid colon, and a 6 cm defect occurred in the left ureter after resection. This defect was repaired with appendiceal interposition without double J stent placement. Hydroureteronephrosis and stricture were not observed in the patient's 2nd and 8th-month follow-up imaging.

CONCLUSION

The appendix interposition for left ureter reconstruction is a safe and feasible option. Also, this procedure can be done without any ureteral stent.

28 years of functioning of the ileal ureter - own experience and systematic review

A SHORT INTRODUCTION

Irreversible ureteral damage is a rare and challenging problem for pediatric urologists. Ileal replacement has become one of the limited surgical options for ureteral reconstruction. Only a few papers have examined the results of the ileal ureter and renal function outcomes. Furthermore, there are even fewer papers showing patients with the intestinal ureter, which is used to drain urine from a solitary kidney in early childhood.

AN OBJECTIVE

To perform a systematic review and analyze available cases of the long-term function of the "neoureter" and differences in the surgical approach. To present the case of a 29-year-old female with a history of ileal replacement of the ureter in a solitary kidney which was performed in this patient at the age of 14 months.

STUDY DESIGN

PubMed and Scopus were used to search for eligible articles. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were strictly followed. Based on the titles, abstracts, and full-text reviews, 77 articles were analyzed, of which only 23 were directly related to pediatric cases of our interest. Medical records of the female patient, who has been treated in our center since 1991, were retrospectively described and reviewed.

RESULTS

Of 23 papers, we identified 75 cases of children who underwent ureteral substitution. The outcomes of the procedure are satisfactory and acceptable. The presented case of the female patient shows a good therapeutic option.

CONCLUSION

Ileal ureteral reconstruction is a safe and effective therapeutic option (even in a long-term follow-up). Despite many problems and complications, it allows preservation of renal and bladder function and social dryness.

Laparoscopic appendicular interposition ureteroplasty for mid-ureteral defect

Patients with ureteral defects and salvageable renal units present a challenge in reconstructive urology. Vermiform appendix interposition is an option in the management of mid-ureteral defects that can not be managed by primary ureteroureterostomy. Laparoscopic appendicular interposition ureteroplasty is a technically demanding and an infrequently attempted procedure. We present a video demonstration of laparoscopic appendicular interposition for a 4-cm long right mid-ureteral defect in an elderly male. Laparoscopic appendicular interposition ureteroplasty for mid-ureteral defects can provide good long-term functional outcomes with results comparable to an open approach and has the advantage of reduced morbidity.

Appendiceal Onlay Flap Ureteroplasty for the Treatment of Complex Ureteral Strictures: Initial Experience of Nine Patients

Purpose: To evaluate the onlay technique using the appendix for ureteral reconstruction and describe the initial experience of nine operations performed by one surgeon. Methods: Nine patients with complex ureteral strictures who underwent appendiceal onlay flap ureteroplasty since May 2019 were recruited from our RECUTTER database. There were seven men and two women, with a mean age of 38.9 years; four patients underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery, and five patients underwent traditional laparoscopic surgery. All patients had iatrogenic injuries of the ureter after treatment of stone disease. Seven patients had proximal ureteral strictures, and two had midureteral strictures. The mean stricture length of the nine patients was 3.9 (range 3-4.5) cm. Nephrostomy was performed in seven patients before they presented to our center, and the other two patients had indwelling Double-J ureteral stents. Results: All nine operations were effectively completed without open conversion. The mean operation time was 182 (range 135-220) minutes, the mean estimated blood loss was 71 (range 20-100) mL, and the mean length of postoperative hospital stay was 9 (range 6-12) days. No postoperative complications of high grade (Clavien-Dindo III and IV) occurred within 30 days of surgery. All the patients had their Double-J ureteral stents and nephrostomy tubes removed after complete ureteroscopy and upper urinary tract urodynamic examination or CTU, which showed that the anastomosis healed well and that the urinary tract was unobstructed, respectively. The objective success rate was 100% (all the patients had endoscopic and radiographic resolution of their ureteral strictures). The subjective success rate was 88.9% (one patient developed recurrent back discomfort and a 0.5 cm calculus was found in her renal pelvis). Conclusions: Appendiceal onlay flap ureteroplasty is a viable and effective technique for treating complex proximal and middle ureteral strictures at the right side.

Ureteral substitution with appendix

OBJECTIVE

To study the long-term results of ureteral reconstruction with the appendix in patients with long ureteral strictures.

METHODS

From 1998 to 2019, 26 patients were operated with substitution of extended defects of the ureter with the appendix. There were 22 women and four men (mean age 44.7 ± 11.3 years). One patient had stricture of the lumbar ureter because of a gunshot wound. He underwent substitution of the upper third of the right ureter with the appendix. In the other cases, we carried out substitution of the pelvis part of the ureter with appendix, in four cases from the left side. In the last 22 cases, a novel surgical technique for better appendicovesical anastomosis was carried out: a flap was dissected from the dome of the cecum to increase the diameter of anastomosis.

RESULTS

The postoperative follow-up period was from 1 to 21 years. A stricture of uretero-appendical anastomosis developed in four patients (15.4%). Resection of stricture and re-anastomosis was carried out in one case. In another two cases associated with similar complications, endoureterotomy and ureteral stenting were carried out. One patient was managed with percutaneous nephrostomy. Kidney function was restored in all patients. Good short-term results were achieved in 22 patients (84.6%) and long-term (from 1 to 21 years) results in 25 patients (96.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with long ureteral stricture, the use of the appendix can help to restore the function of the upper urinary tract.

Laparoscopic appendiceal interposition pyeloplasty for long ureteric strictures in children

INTRODUCTION

The management of long ureteric strictures is very challenging, and ureteral substitution is necessary when end-to-end anastomosis can not be accomplished.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the mid-term results of laparoscopic appendiceal interposition pyeloplasty in children with long ureteric strictures.

METHODS

Between March 2010 and September 2016 four patients (median age 24 months, male/female 3/1) underwent laparoscopic appendiceal interposition pyeloplasty at the current hospital. Two patients had previously failed pyeloplasty, one had a traffic injury, and one had iatrogenic ureteral injury (Summary Table). The intraoperative, postoperative and follow-up results were analyzed. Success was defined as clinical (subjective) and radiologic (objective) resolution of the stricture.

RESULTS

All surgeries were successfully completed without conversion. The mean stricture length was 4.5 cm. Two cases were right-sided strictures, and two were left-sided. The mean operative time and estimated blood loss were 238.5 min and 25.0 ml, respectively. No intraoperative complication was encountered. No Grade 3 or Grade 4 complication was observed after surgery. One was anastomosed in the antiperistaltic manner and three were in the isoperistaltic fashion. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.3 days. The success rate was 100% at a mean follow-up duration of 33.8 months.

DISCUSSION

There is no consensus on the best surgical approach for long ureteric strictures. Ureteric replacement with intestinal segments or kidney autotransplantation is a viable alternative treatment to long ureteric strictures. However, both methods are technically challenging with significant complications. Appendiceal interposition to restore ureteral continuity has been described in adult patients. The current results demonstrated that laparoscopic appendiceal interposition pyeloplasty is a safe and feasible minimally invasive approach for the treatment of long ureteral strictures in children.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic appendiceal interposition pyeloplasty was a viable minimally invasive alternative for children with long ureteric strictures on both left and right sides. Both isoperistaltic or antiperistaltic anastomosis were feasible.

Left ureteral appendiceal interposition: exercise caution and do not be mislead by postoperative radiological obstruction

Postoperative imaging after appendiceal ureteral interposition may be difficult to interpret, misguiding the urologist towards intervention. We present a case in which radiological obstruction was not endorsed by a 99TcDTPA nephrogram, with favorable outcome after conservative treatment.

Use Of Appendix As Neoureter- A Ray Of Hope

A case of antenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis (later known to be PUJO complicated with urinoma and associated with hypoplasia of entire ureter) was treated using vermiform appendix as replacement.

Review of appendiceal onlay flap in the management of complex ureteric strictures in six patients

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate appendiceal onlay flap ureteroplasty for repairing complex right proximal and mid-ureteric strictures.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between August 2006 and August 2012 four women and two men (mean age 34.2 years) underwent right laparoscopic appendiceal onlay flap ureteroplasty. The mean stricture length was 2.5 cm. Stricture formation was secondary to impacted ureteric stones in three patients and failed pyeloplasty for congenital pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction in the remaining three. Each patient had ipsilateral flank pain before surgery.

RESULTS

The mean operating time, estimated blood loss and hospital stay were 244 min, 175 mL and 3.2 days, respectively. No intra- or peri-operative complications were noted. The objective success rate was 100% (all patients had radiographic and/or endoscopic resolution of their ureteric strictures). The subjective success rate was 66%, (two patients developed recurrent discomfort, which upon exploration was found to be attributable to fibrosis away from the appendiceal onlay graft, where the gonadal vessels crossed the ureter). Both patients with recurrent pain underwent laparoscopic ureterolysis and bladder advancement flap proximal to the appendiceal onlay, which markedly improved one patient's pain but the other patient continued to have discomfort, ultimately resulting in a laparoscopic nephroureterectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Appendiceal onlay ureteroplasty is a viable treatment option for patients with complex right proximal and mid-ureteric strictures, while minimising the potential morbidity of appendiceal and ileal interposition.

Possible complications of ureteroscopy in modern endourological era: two-point or "scabbard" avulsion

Indication has led ureteroscopy to be a worldwide technique, with the expected appearance of multiple types of complications. Severe complications are possible including ureteral perforation or avulsion. Ureteral avulsion has been described as an upper urinary tract injury related to the action of blunt trauma, especially from traffic accidents, being the mechanism of injury, the result of an acute deceleration/acceleration movement. With the advent of endourology, that term is also applied to the extensive degloving injury resulting from a mechanism of stretching of the ureter that eventually breaks at the most weakened site, or ureteral avulsion is referred to as a discontinuation of the full thickness of the ureter. The paper presents a case report and literature review of the two-point or "scabbard" avulsion. The loss of long segment of the upper ureter, when end-to-end anastomosis is not technically feasible, presents a challenge to the urological surgeon. In the era of small calibre ureteroscopes these complications, due to growing incidence of renal stones will become more and more actual. Our message to other urologists is to know such a complication, to know the ways of treatment, and to analyse ureteroscopic signs, when to stop or pay attention.

Ureteral replacement with appendix in pediatric renal transplantation

Ureteral necrosis is an uncommon complication following RT which can adversely affect outcome. Even though authors agree that the native ureter ought to be preserved, there are cases in which graft function can only be salvaged by ureteral substitution. The scant references in the literature on the use of the appendix for left ureteral replacement in children prompted us to report the following two cases in whom the technique was employed and to assess the evolution of graft function in these patients.