Uretero-Arterio-Enteric Fistula Formation and Stent Thrombosis After Endovascular Treatment of Ureteroarterial Fistula: A Case Report and Review of Literature

[Uretero-iliac artery fistula as a urological emergency]

Uretero-iliac artery fistulae represent a urological emergency with considerable mortality. We present 2 cases of a uretero-iliac artery fistula. Nowadays, minimally-invasive endovascular therapy seems to be the treatment of choice. For an optimal outcome, a multidisciplinary team with imminent availability of radiology, vascular surgery, urology and anaesthesia is required.

A systematic review of management of uretero-arterial fistula

OBJECTIVE

Uretero-arterial fistula (UAF) is lethal condition. However, there is no consensus regarding diagnosis and treatment of UAF owing to its rarity. The aim of this paper was to present an actual case of UAF and to systematically review the symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of this condition.

METHODS

The case study included a 52-year-old woman who showed a massive hemorrhage during urinary stent replacement. For the systematic review of articles on UAF, those written in English and published from 1939 to 2020 were searched on PubMed using the keywords "uretero-arterial fistula," "arterio-ureteral fistula," and "hematuria".

RESULTS

We included 121 articles and 235 patients (mean age, 66.0 years; women, 139 [59.1%]) in this review. UAF occurred most frequently in the common iliac artery (112 patients [47.7%]). Almost all patients (232 patients [98.7 %]) complained of hematuria. The risk factors for UAF were pelvic surgery (205 patients [87.2%]), long-term use of urinary stents (170 patients [72.3%]), oncologic radiotherapy (107 patients [45.5%]), and malignancy (159 patients [67.7%]). Although computed tomography (CT) can detect various useful findings such as extravasation, pseudoaneurysm, hydronephrosis, and opacification of ureters, it was diagnostically useful in only one-third of the cases. Angiography was useful in diagnosing UAF in 124 (66.3%) of the 187 patients (80.0%) who underwent this procedure. With regard to treatment, endovascular approaches have been widely used in recent years because their invasiveness is lesser than that of open surgical repair. In the era of endovascular therapy, the indications for open surgical repair include ureteral-intestinal fistula, abscess formation, and graft infection after endovascular therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

CT was recommended as the first examination in patients with risk factors for UAF because of its usefulness. Subsequently, angiography should be considered because UAF can be treated using an endovascular approach following diagnostic angiography. Diagnosis and treatment of UAF can often be difficult; therefore, the important first step of diagnosis is suspecting UAF and employing a multidisciplinary approach.

Uretero-arterial fistula: Six new cases and systematic review of the literature

AIM

Secondary uretero-arterial fistulas (SUAF) are uncommon, underrated and threatening for any patient. Gross hematuria is a clinical symptom of this pathology for patients with history of pelvic radiotherapy, complex pelvic surgery or long-term ureteral stenting. The purpose of this work is to assess risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of SUAF.

METHODS

Monocentric and retrospective series of 6 new cases illustrated by a literature review through MedLine and Pubmed using the keywords "arterio-ureteral fistula", "arterio iliac fistula" and "ilio-ureteral fistula". We excluded uretero-arterial fistula following vascular surgery.

RESULTS

Our series included 4 men and 2 women. All patients had a history of complex pelvic surgery and long-term ureteral stenting. Three patients had history of pelvic radiotherapy. They all had inaugural macroscopic haematuria episode. Two fistula cases were diagnosed on 5 repeated CT-scans. In 2 out of 5 cases, arteriography highlighted the fistula. Fistulas were generally located at the left common iliac artery. An endovascular stent was placed in 5 out of 6 cases. One patient needed open surgery. After treatment, 3 patients remained alive, 3 patients died either by a fistula relapse or by complications late in the treatment.

CONCLUSION

SUAF are uncommon, but serious. Today, there is no specific recommendation regarding complex treatment of these fistulas. Endovascular stents seem to be a good therapeutic option.

LEVEL OF PROOF

3.

Ureteral Arterial Fistula - A Role for Open Operation in the 21st Century

BACKGROUND

Ureteral arterial fistula is a rare and challenging clinical entity. The diagnosis and management of ureteral arterial fistula present a unique disease process that requires a dual specialty approach, involving both vascular and urologic surgeons. There are different options for repair, including both open and endovascular techniques.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 78-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) in septic shock secondary to a urinary tract infection and was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for further management and resuscitation. The patient had previously undergone radical cystoprostatectomy with ileal conduit creation in 2011 for recurrent bladder cancer. Following creation of his ileal conduit, he required long-term indwelling ureteral stents bilaterally due to recurrent stricturing at the ureteroneocystostomy with stent exchanges performed 2-3 times per year due to frequent urinary tract infections. During his hospitalization for sepsis, the urology service performed an exchange of his left indwelling ureteral stent. However, pulsatile bleeding was observed from the junction of the ileal conduit and left ureter. The stent was replaced at the bedside, and the bleeding ceased. Vascular surgery consultation and a computed tomography angiogram (CTA) gave support to the diagnosis of a ureteral arterial fistula. A plan was developed to exchange the stent in the operating room with vascular surgery assistance. It was determined that a definitive open repair with excision of the fistula would be the most appropriate course.

CONCLUSIONS

In the setting of hemodynamically significant bleeding, we recommend an endovascular approach to obtain hemostasis. However, an open approach provides both reconstruction and infectious resistance in an already soiled field. Open repair may provide a more definitive reconstruction.

Endovascular and open surgical options in the treatment of uretero-arterial fistulas

Objective

To report and analyze the indications and results of endovascular and open surgical treatment for uretero-arterial fistula.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 25 consecutive patients with uretero-arterial fistulas admitted to our hospital from 2011 to 2020. Endpoints were technical success, freedom from open conversion, stent-graft/graft-related complications, and 30-day and one-year mortality.

Results

The study included 25 patients (68% female, n = 17) with 27 uretero-arterial fistulas by bilateral pathologies in two patients. The mean age was 61 ± 11 years (range 35–80). The most common predisposing factors for uretero-arterial fistula were history of pelvic operations for malignancy in 21 patients (84%), radiotherapy in 21 patients (84%), previous pelvic vascular bypass in 2 patients (8%), and iliac aneurysms in 2 patients (8%). On average, the period between the primary pelvic surgery and the diagnosis of uretero-arterial fistulas was 46 months (range 7–255). Twenty patients (80%) underwent endovascular treatment of the uretero-arterial fistulas. The primary technical success of the endovascular treatment was 95%, and the freedom from open conversion was 40% at six months and 30% at one year. Thirteen uretero-arterial fistulas (48%) underwent delayed open conversion due to recurrent bleeding in six cases (46%), stent-graft infection in three cases (23%), or pelvic abscess in four cases (31%). Primary open surgery was applied for five (20%) patients. After a mean follow-up of 34 months, early (<30 days) mortality was 8% (2/25), one-year mortality 16% (4/25), and overall mortality was 24% (6/25).

Conclusions

Uretero-arterial fistula is a late complication of prior pelvic surgery, radiation, and indwelling ureteral stents. Endovascular treatment remains an effective and less invasive modality in controlling the related life-threatening arterial bleeding of the uretero-arterial fistula. Open surgical treatment is still required for patients with local sepsis, previously failed endovascular treatment or infected stent-grafts.

Arterial-enteric fistula after pelvic lymphadenectomy in secondary cytoreductive surgery for recurrent ovarian cancer

In 6.2% of gynaecologic malignancies, vascular involvement is reported. Cytoreductive surgery presents in those cases a higher rate of major complications. Arterial-enteric fistula is a very rare post-surgical complication with serious repercussions on the patient's life due to intestinal haemorrhage and the overlapping sepsis. This is the first case report about iliac-colonic fistula formation in recurrent ovarian cancer with lymph-node metastasis after laparoscopic secondary cytoreductive surgery in a 75-year-old woman and its successful surgical management. A literature review about arterial-enteric fistula formation in gynaecologic cancer treatment, specifically ovarian cancer, is also reported, hypothesising the risk factors of this severe postoperative complication and possible surgical solutions.