Impact of Thermo-Expandable Memokath Ureteral Stent on Renal Function in the Management of Ureteroileal Anastomotic Stricture.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to assess the impact of the Memokath 051 stent (MK) on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and split renal function in the management of ureteroileal anastomotic strictures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We treated 6 patients in the ages of 66-77 years, 2 of whom had bilateral strictures, with a total of 8 ureteroileal strictures using the MK stent. Five patients had chronic kidney disease (CKD) prior to MK insertion. Mean time between conduit surgery and MK insertion was 28.4 months. Serum creatinine, GFR, and MAG-3 renography were determined before stent insertion and postoperatively at 3 months. RESULTS: Postoperative complications at 3-month follow-up included migration in 2 patients, occlusion in 2 patients, and urinary tract infection in 4 patients. The mean stent indwelling time was 353.4 ± 169.3 days. Mean preoperative creatinine, GFR, right, and left split renal function were 158.3 ± 76.3 µmol/L, 43.6 ± 32.9 mL/min/1.73 m2, 52.8 ± 22.2%, and 47.1 ± 22.2%, respectively. Mean postoperative values were 168.1 ± 84 µmol/L (p = 0.84), 40.8 ± 28.4 mL/min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.56), 51.1 ± 18.3% (p = 1), and 48.8 ± 18.3% (p = 1), respectively. CONCLUSION: MK stent is a safe and efficient minimally invasive long-term treatment option to preserve GFR in patients who develop CKD through ureteroileal anastomotic stricture. In spite of MK stent insertion and alleviation of obstruction, it was presumably inserted too late to improve renal function.

The Wallstent: long-term follow-up of metal stent placement for the treatment of benign ureteroileal anastomotic strictures after Bricker urinary diversion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term follow-up (primary and secondary patency) of metal stent placement in benign ureteroileal anastomotic strictures after Bricker urinary diversion and to compare the failed treatment group with the group of successfully treated patients to search for predisposing factors of stent failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For patients treated since 1989 for benign ureteroileal strictures after Bricker urinary diversion with end-to-side anastomosis, we retrospectively collected data on clinical history, stent placement, auxiliary measures and patency rates from a prospectively kept database. RESULTS: In all, 49 patients (mean age 64 years) underwent 56 metal stent procedures. Placement of the stent was possible in all patients. Stent patency without auxiliary treatment remained adequate in 23 cases (primary patency of 41.1%, mean follow-up 37.7 months). A secondary treatment was successfully performed in 11 patients who had stent obstruction, mostly caused by hyperplastic reaction, encrustation, or migration of the stent. The secondary patency rate was 60.7% (mean follow-up 55.8 months), comparable with patency rates of 36-100% described in literature with mostly small patient groups and much shorter follow-up periods. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge we report the largest series of metal stenting in benign ureteroileal anastomotic strictures with the longest follow-up. We show that placement of a metal stent can lead to a permanent de-obstruction in approximately six out of 10 patients with preservation of renal function.

Transnephrostomic Indocyanine Green-Guided Robotic Ureteral Reimplantation for Benign Ureteroileal Strictures After Robotic Cystectomy and Intracorporeal Neobladder: Step-By-Step Surgical Technique, Perioperative and Functional Outcomes.

Objectives: To describe our surgical technique of robotic ureteroileal reimplantation (RUIR) for ureteroileal anastomosis strictures with the use of near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIFI) after transnephrostomic antegrade injection of indocyanine green in patients previously treated with robot-assisted radical cystectomy and intracorporeal orthotopic neobladder. Materials and Methods: From March 2015 to December 2017, 10 consecutive patients underwent RUIR in our tertiary referral center. All patients previously underwent percutaneous nephrostomy and at least one antegrade stenting and stricture dilatation attempt. Clinical data were prospectively collected into our institutional dataset. Both perioperative and functional outcomes were assessed. Results: Median time from robotic cystectomy to ureteroileal anastomosis strictures diagnosis was 5 months (interquartile range [IQR] 2-6). Median stricture length was 1.5 cm (IQR 1-2). Median operative time was 140 minutes (IQR 81-155), and median length of stay was 5 days (IQR 3-9). Two patients experienced Clavien grade 2 complications (urinary tract infection requiring antibiotics and blood transfusion, respectively). One patient underwent ileum resection and anastomosis due to bowel perforation (Clavien IIIb). At a median follow-up of 19 months (IQR 14-39), one patient developed a stricture recurrence. No patient developed worsening of renal function (newly onset chronic kidney disease stage 3b-4). Conclusions: Robotic reimplantation for ureteroileal anastomosis strictures is a safe and highly effective procedure, with a high success rate and excellent perioperative and functional outcomes. NIFI provides an easy guide to identify and progressively dissect the ureter.

Antegrade repositioning of Memokath stent in malignant ureteroileal anastomotic stricture.

Ureteric strictures are common and can be due to benign or malignant causes. Various surgical treatments can be used from minimally invasive endoscopic retrograde JJ stent insertion, balloon dilatation, ureterolithotomy, to open surgical exploration and repair. Memokath 051 stent is a metallic stent designed for long-term ureteral stenting in the management of ureteral strictures. The insertion of this device is usually a straightforward procedure performed endoscopically in a retrograde fashion via cystoscopy. However, this procedure can be difficult in complicated scenarios when the bladder has been removed with neoureteral reimplantations or high-grade strictures. Here, we report a case of Memokath stent insertion complicated by placement difficulties in a lady with ileal conduit due to previous ovarian cancer complicated by vesicovaginal fistula, who presented with malignant stricture of the ureteroileal anastomosis. We describe a simple yet effective antegrade technique to precisely reposition the malpositioned Memokath stent, along with illustrations.