Open Access

ARTICLE

Role of routine stentograms following urinary diversion in modern practice

Stanton M. Regan, Stephen D. W. Beck, Richard Bihrle, Richard S. Foster¹

Department of Urology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Address correspondence to Dr. Stanton M. Regan, Department of Urology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 535 N. Barnhill Drive, Suite 420, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5289 USA

Canadian Journal of Urology 2009, 16(3), 4660-4663.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the usefulness of routine stentograms in patient management following urinary diversion.
Materials and methods: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing urinary diversion from February 2004 to February 2007 was performed. Three hundred twenty-six patients were identified. One hundred fifty patients were excluded: 101 patients had no stentogram and 49 patients had incomplete records or follow up.
Results: Of the 176 patients, ureteral anastomotic leak was detected in three of 344 ureters (0.9%). The ureteral stents were left in situ until the leaks resolved. None of the three developed a ureteral stricture. Ten (3.0%) ureters had delayed drainage and the stents were removed as scheduled. One patient developed hydronephrosis from a retained portion of the ureteral stent. The 328 ureters (95.4%) with normal stentograms were followed for 30 weeks (3-144). Four ureters (1.25%) developed distal ureteral strictures and one patient developed a ureteral tumor recurrence. No patient developed a post-stentogram complication.
Conclusions: The incidence of a ureteral enteric anastomotic leak detected by stentogram is less than 1%-2%. Routine stentograms do not appear necessary in stable patients without clinical signs of a urine leak and thus are now only seldom performed at our institution.

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Keywords

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