Metal ureteral stents for ureteral stricture: 2 years of experience with 246 cases.

BACKGROUND: Metal ureteral stents (MUS) has gained popularity as an endoscopic treatment alternative for the management of ureteral strictures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of MUS for treating ureteral strictures and to identify any factors that could influence the success of this intervention.

METHODS: This study is a prospective analysis of the efficacy and safety of MUS for treating ureteral strictures in a single-center setting. The study enrolled 246 patients who had been diagnosed with ureteral strictures and had undergone MUS placement between January 2019 and July 2021. The patients were followed up for a duration of 2 years.

RESULTS: The overall success rate of MUS placement was 71.7%. Furthermore, the success rate of ureteral strictures after kidney transplantation (78.2%) was significantly higher than common ureteral strictures (73.0%) or recurrent ureteral strictures (67.6%). Additionally, post-surgery, there was a considerable reduction in hydronephrosis volume (68.9±96.1 vs. 32.1±48.8 cm3), blood creatinine level (103.7±49.8 vs. 94.4±47.5 mol/L) and urea nitrogen level (6.7±7.2 vs. 5.1±2.4 mmol/L). The study also reported that the rate of adverse events associated with MUS was relatively low, included hematuria (7.9%), pain (6.8%), urinary tract infection (6.4%) and lower urinary tract symptoms (5.3%).

CONCLUSION: MUS appear to be a safe and effective treatment option for ureteral strictures, with a high success rate and low complication rate. These results have important implications for the management of ureteral strictures and can help guide clinical decision-making in the selection of treatment options.