Should ureteral catheterization be systematically used in kidney transplants?

To assess if the systematic use of double J ureteral catheters in ureteroneocystostomies of kidney transplants reduces the rate of complications. Non-randomized prospective, comparative study of parallel groups in 194 kidney transplants. We established two equal groups, 111 patients with double J catheter and another of 83 catheter-free patients. We studied the incidence of complications between both groups by means of a univariate comparative study (X2 test)and a multivariate analysis (logistic regression). In the catheter group, the overall complications appeared in 22.2% as opposed to 43.3% of the catheter-free group (p=0.04). Depending on the ureteral transplant, complications appeared in 38.12% of the Paquin type reimplantation as opposed to the 20.3% in Lich-Gregoir (p=0.09). There was evidence of 1 (0.9%) urinary fistula in the catheter group as opposed to 5 (6%) in the catheter-free group (p=0.08), and 3 (2.7%) ureterovesical anastomosis stricture in the group with catheter against 7 (8.4%) of the catheter-free group (p=0.13). The multivariate analysis showed that not using the catheter increases the risk of suffering complications related to reimplantation (OR: 2.55; IC 95%, 1.37-4.75). The risk of fistula increased significantly when a catheter was not placed (OR 9.19, IC 95%, 1.01-84.7). There were no differences between the two groups as regards urinary tract infections; there were 3 (2.7%) in the catheter group and 1 (1.2%) in the catheter-free group (p=0,63). The placement of a double J catheter reduces complications related to ureteral reimplantation without increasing the morbidity associated with their use.