Initial Experience of Self-Expanding Metal Ureteral Stent in Recurrent Ureteral Stricture After Ureteroplasty

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of self-expanding metal ureteral stent (MUS) for the treatment of recurrent ureteral stricture after ureteroplasty. We prospectively included 24 patients who underwent MUS implantation between February 2019 and August 2020. The inclusion criteria for the procedure were recurrent ureteral strictures after ureteroplasty. A paired test was used to compare continuous variables before and after surgery. A total of 24 patients were finally included in this study. The stricture site was most common on the proximal ureter 19 (79.2%), followed by distal ureter 4 (16.7%) and middle ureter 1 (4.2%). The median length of ureteral stricture is 2.5 (range 1-18) cm. The median operative time was 51.5 min, and the median hospital stay time after surgery was 3 days. Post-operative complication included pain 1 (4.2%), urinary tract infection 2 (8.3%) and hematuria 2 (8.3%). After a median follow-up of 12 months, 19/24 (83.3%) patients were clinically and radiologically successful. We endoscopically adjusted or exchanged the failed stents. The volume of hydronephrosis (124.7 ± 132.5 vs. 66.4 ± 73.2 cm , = 0.015), blood creatinine level (104.5 ± 45.4 vs. 80.1 ± 23.2 μmol/L, = 0.044) and urea nitrogen level (6.9 ± 2.4 vs. 4.8 ± 1.5 mmol/L, = 0.003) decreased significantly after a median follow-up of 12 months. MUS is a safe and effective way to manage recurrent ureteral strictures after ureteroplasty. This technique provides a new choice for the treatment of recurrent stricture.