Radiological management of patients with urinary obstruction following urinary diversion procedures: technical factors, complications, long-term management and outcome. Experience with 378 procedures.

ABSTRACT

We aimed to assess management by interventional radiology techniques of patients with urinary diversion procedures (UD) complicated by urinary obstruction (UO). A 12-year electronic database of interventional cases was searched for urinary access in patients with UD. Patients' records were assessed for aetiology of obstruction, indication for procedure, types of interventional radiology, complications and outcome. Management issues included frequency of visits for catheter care, type of catheter placement and technical problems associated with catheter maintenance. Three hundred and seventy eight procedures were carried out in 25 patients (mean age 70 years; Male Female ratio 1312). Indications for UD were malignancy (n = 22) and neuropathic bladder (n = 3). UD included ileal conduits (n = 17), cutaneous ureterostomy (n = 3 (2 patients)) and sigmoid colon urinary conduit (n = 6). In most patients, catheters were placed antegradely through nephrostomy tract, but subsequent access was through the UD. Twenty of 25 patients had unilateral stents where as 5 had bilateral stents (8-10- Fr pigtail catheters (20-45 cm in length)). The mean number of procedures including catheter changes was 15 +/- 4 per patient and 331 of 378 procedures (87 %) were carried out as outpatients. Since catheter placement, 11 patients required hospital admission on 22 occasions for catheter-related complications. Ureteric strictures in patients with UD can be successfully managed by interventional radiology.