Intraoperative Retrograde Ureteral Stent Placement and Manipulation During Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty Without Need for Patient Repositioning

Ureteral stent placement during adult laparoscopic pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction can be performed preoperatively or intraoperatively either in a retrograde or antegrade approach. Intraoperative retrograde stent placement is the most commonly used technique. Comparative studies, however, suggest that there is a significant component added to the overall operative times because of the need for patient repositioning from the lithotomy to the flank position before pyeloplasty. During our laparoscopic pyeloplasty surgery, we position the patient in the lateral decubitus position and incorporate a lower extremity support device for female patients. This allows initial open-ended catheter placement and subsequent access to the perineum and final stent placement throughout the procedure without need for patient repositioning. In addition, our technique allows for intraoperative fluoroscopy to delineate the complete ureteral anatomy. Since 2004, we have used this approach in 111 consecutive patients without complications. We describe our technique for intraoperative ureteral stent placement in the flank position during adult laparoscopic pyeloplasty without need for patient repositioning.