Migration of varicocele coil leading to ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis:A case report

BACKGROUND Varicocele embolization,a minimally invasive treatment for symptomatic varicoceles,carries a rare risk of complications like ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis.This case report documents such a case to raise awareness of these potential complications and showcase minimally invasive surgical management as a successful solution.CASE SUMMARY A 35-year-old male presented with flank pain and hematuria following varicocele embolization.Imaging confirmed left ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis.Laparoscopic ureterolysis successfully removed the embolization coil and repaired the ureter,resolving the patient's symptoms.Follow-up at six months and two years showed sustained improvement.CONCLUSION Minimally invasive surgery offers an effective treatment option for rare complications like ureteral obstruction arising from varicocele embolization.

Stents for malignant ureteral obstruction

Malignant ureteral obstruction can result in renal dysfunction or urosepsis and can limit the physician’s ability to treat the underlying cancer.There are multiple methods to deal with ureteral obstruction including regular polymeric double J stents(DJS),tandem DJS,nephrostomy tubes,and then more specialized products such as solid metal stents(e.g.,Resonance Stent,Cook Medical)and polyurethane stents reinforced with nickel-titanium(e.g.,UVENTA stents,TaeWoong Medical).In patients who require long-term stenting,a nephrostomy tube could be transformed subcutaneously into an extra-anatomic stent that is then inserted into the bladder subcutaneously.We outline the most recent developments published since 2012 and report on identifiable risk factors that predict for failure of urinary drainage.These failures are typically a sign of cancer progression and the natural history of the disease rather than the individual type of drainage device.Factors that were identified to predict drainage failure included low serum albumin,bilateral hydronephrosis,elevated C-reactive protein,and the presence of pleural effusion.Head-to-head studies show that metal stents are superior to polymeric DJS in terms of maintaining patency.Discussions with the patient should take into consideration the frequency that exchanges will be needed,the need for externalized hardware(with nephrostomy tubes),or severe urinary symptoms in the case of internal DJS.This review will highlight the current state of diversions in the setting of malignant ureteral obstruction.

Use of percutaneous nephrostomy and ureteral stenting in management of ureteral obstruction

The management options for ureteral obstruction are diverse, including retrograde ureteral stent insertion or antegrade nephrostomy placement, with or without eventual antegrade stent insertion. There is currently no consensus on the ideal treatment or treatment pathway for ureteral obstruction owing, in part, to the varied etiologies of obstruction and diversity of institutional practices. Additionally, different clinicians such as internists, urologists, oncologists and radiologists are often involved in the care of patients with ureteral obstruction and may have differing opinions concerning the best management strategy. The purpose of this manuscript was to review available literature that compares percutaneous nephrostomy placement vs ureteral stenting in the management of ureteral obstruction from both benign and malignant etiologies.

Laparoscopic ureterolysis with simultaneous ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephroscopy for treating complex ureteral obstruction after failed endoscopic intervention:A technical report

Objective:Complex ureteral obstruction is refractory to conventional urological intervention.This report describes a case of laparoscopic ureterolysis with simultaneous ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephroscopy for treating complex ureteral obstruction.Methods:Right-side multiple ureteral stones and complicating ureteral obstruction failed an initial attempt of ureteroscopy lithotripsy with simultaneous percutaneous nephroscopy in a 23-year-old male.Laparoscopic ureterolysis with ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephroscopy was used simultaneously to dissect the periureteral adhesions with the patient placed in the Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia position.The ureter was incised to allow the insertion of a ureteral catheter through the twisted ureter,and a guide wire was advanced into the pelvis using ureteroscopy.A double-J stent was placed into the right-side ureter using antegrade percutaneous nephroscopy.Results:The laparoendoscopic procedure lasted 330 min with an estimated bleeding volume of 100 mL.The patient underwent an uneventful postoperative course,and postoperative followup radiography confirmed good positioning of the double-J stent.The double-J stent was removed 3 months after operation.The patient remained asymptomatic within a 13-month follow-up period.Conclusion:Laparoscopic ureterolysis with simultaneous ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephroscopy is an effective and safe treatment option for complex ureteral obstruction.

Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor-γ Agonist Pioglitazone Fails to Attenuate Renal Fibrosis Caused by Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction in Mice

Renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis is the common ending of progressive renal disease. It is worth developing new ways to stop the progress of renal fibrosis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ（PPARγ） agonists have been studied to treat diabetic nephropathy, cisplatin-induced acute renal injury, ischemia reperfusion injury and adriamycin nephropathy. In this study, unilateral ureteral obstruction（UUO） was used to establish a different renal fibrosis model. PPARγ agonist pioglitazone was administrated by oral gavage and saline was used as control. At 7th and 14 th day after the operation, mice were sacrificed for fibrosis test and T lymphocytes subsets test. Unexpectedly, through MASSON staining, immunohistochemistry for α-SMA, and Western blotting for α-SMA and PDGFR-β, we found that pioglitazone failed to attenuate renal fibrosis in UUO mice. However, flow cytometry showed that pioglitazone down-regulated Th1 cells, and up-regulated Th2 cells, Th17 cells and Treg cells. But the Th17/Treg ratio had no significant change by pioglitazone. Real-time PCR results showed that TGF-β and MCP-1 had no significant changes, at the same time, CD4＋ T cells associated cytokines were partially regulated by pioglitazone pretreatment. Taken together, pioglitazone failed to suppress renal fibrosis progression caused by UUO.

Acute kidney injury due to bilateral malignant ureteral obstruction:Is there an optimal mode of drainage?

There is a well-known relationship between malignancy and impairment of kidney functions,either in the form of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease.In the former,however,bilateral malignant ureteral obstruction is a surgically correctable factor of this complex pathology.It warrants urgent drainage of the kidneys in emergency settings.However,there are multiple controversies and debates about the optimal mode of drainage of the bilaterally obstructed kidneys in these patients.This review addressed most of the concerns and provided a comprehensive presentation of this topic from the recent literature.Also,we provided different perspectives on the management of the bilateral obstructed kidneys due to malignancy.Despite the frequent trials for improving the success rates and functions of ureteral stents,placement of a percutaneous nephrostomy tube remains the most recommended tool of drainage due to bilateral ureteral obstruction,especially in patients with advanced malignancy.However,the disturbance of the quality of life of those patients remains a major unresolved concern.Beside the unfavorable prognostic potential of the underlying malignancy and the various risk stratification models that have been proposed,the response of the kidney to initial drainage can be anticipated and evaluated by multiple renal prognostic factors,including increased urine output,serum creatinine trajectory,and time-to-nadir serum creatinine after drainage.

Hydronephrosis and Ureteral Obstruction in Crohn’s Disease

Hydronephrosis and ureteral obstruction are rare sequelae of Crohn’s disease. Chronic obstruction can ultimately lead to dysfunction of the affected kidney, and atypical presenting symptoms create pitfalls in diagnosis. Few reviews in the literature focus on this process and are limited to isolated case reports and case reviews. We performed a PubMed search using such terms as “Hydronephrosis” AND “Crohn’s disease” AND/OR “ureteral obstruction.” References from selected papers were reviewed for relevance and used for information-gathering as well. Ureteral obstruction most commonly occurs on the right side, due to ileal involvement. Clinical diagnosis is difficult, as symptoms are notably not genitourinary in origin;rather they are more musculoskeletal in nature. Treatment centers on disease control and temporary drainage of the affected kidney. Though rare, hydronephrosis and ureteral obstruction may develop as a result of inflammatory bowel disease. Due to atypical presenting symptoms, a high clinical suspicion is needed to affirm the diagnosis and ensure proper treatment.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis: A rare cause of both ureteral and small bowel obstruction

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare condition of unclear etiology. It can cause ureteral obstruction. We present the unique case of a 54 years old female, who initially presented with spontaneous perforation of the cecum. Upon exploring the abdomen, the classical glistening white, unyielding retroperitoneal fibrosis was encountered. A right hemicolectomy was performed. Subsequently, the patient presented with bilateral ureteral obstruction, and later on with small bowel obstruction. Ureteral obstruction was treated with stents, and small bowel obstruction was treated with bypass. To our knowledge no case of idiopathic RPF presenting with features of both bilateral ureteral and small bowel obstruction has been reported in the literature.

Expression of BMP-7 and its receptors in renal tubolo-interstitial fibrosis induced with unilateral ureteral obstruction in rats

Objective:To study the changes of the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-7(BMP-7) and its receptors(BMPR-Ⅱ,ALK2,ALK3 and ALK6) in the renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis induced with unilateral ureteral obstruction in rats. Methods: Sixty Wistar male rats were divided randomly into the normal control,sham-operation and unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) groups and the rats were killed on the 1st,3rd,7th and 14th postoperative days respectively.The mRNA level of BMP-7,BMPR-Ⅱ,ALK2,ALK3 and ALK6 was determined with RT-PCR.The site and level of protein expression of BMP-7 were observed with immunohistochemical staining. Results: The mRNA level of BMP-7,BMPR-Ⅱ,ALK2 and ALK3 was significantly decreased in the rats of UUO group than in those of the sham-operation group but the mRNA level of ALK6 showed no obvious changes in all the rats.Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the protein of BMP-7 was mainly expressed in the renal tubules and interstitial tissue of the kidneys in normal rats but it was decreased gradually along with the unilateral ureteral obstruction. Conclusion: It is found that the loss of BMP-7 and its receptors including BMPR-Ⅱ,ALK2 and ALK3 occurs in the early phase of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis before the appearance of other pathological changes in the kidney and may play an important role in the occurrence and progress of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

Role of BMP-7 and TGF-β_1 expression in renal tubulo-interstitial lesion of Wistar rats induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction

Objective: To explore the role of bone morphorgenetic protein-7 （BMP-7） in the renal tubulo-interstitial lesions induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction （UUO）. Methods: Sixty Wistar rats were equally and randomly divided into normal control, sham operation and UUO groups, and respectively sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th day after the time of UUO operation. The mRNA levels of BMP-7 and TGF-β1 in the renal tissues were examined by RT-PCR. The expression sites and levels of BMP-7 and TGF-β1 proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry staining. Results:Compared to control groups, the level of BMP-7 mRNA was significantly decreased, but that of TGF-β1 mRNA was significantly increased in UUO rats. Immunohistochemistry staining indicated that BMP-7 mainly expressed in the renal tubules and interstitum, rarely in the glomeruli. In UUO rats, the expression of BMP-7 protein was decreased, but that of TGF-β1 was increased in an obstruction dependent manner. Conclusion:The down- regulation of BMP-7 is observed in the early phase of fibrotic process of the renal interstitium, suggesting it may be involved in the formation and development of the tubulo-interstitial lesions.

Acute kidney injury due to bilateral ureteral obstruction in children

Bilateral ureteral obstruction in children is a rare condition arising from several medical or surgical pictures.It needs to be promptly suspected in order to attempt a quick renal function recovery.In this paper we concentrated on uncommon causes of obstruction,with the aim of giving a summary of such multiple,rare and heterogeneous conditions joint together by the common denominator of sudden bilateral ureteral obstruction,difficult to be suspected at times.Conversely,typical and well-known diseases have been just run over.We considered pediatric cases of ureteral obstruction presenting as bilateral,along with some cases which truly appeared as single-sided,because of their potential bilateral presentation.We performed a review of the literature by a search on Pub Med,Cross Ref Metadata Search,internet and reference lists of single articles updated to May 2014,with no time limits in the past.Given that we deal with rare conditions,we decided to include also papers in non-English languages,published with an English abstract.For the sake of clearness,we divided our research results into 8 categories:(1) urolithiasis;(2) congenital urinary tract malformations;(3) immuno-rheumatologic causes of ureteral obstruction;(4) ureteral localization of infections;(5) other systemic infective causes of ureteral obstructions;(6) neoplastic intrinsic ureteral obstructions;(7) extrinsic ureteralobstructions; and(8) iatrogenic trigonal obstruction or inflammation.Of course,different pathogenic mechanisms underlay those clinical pictures,partly wellknown and partly not completely understood.

The effect of unilateral ureteral obstruction on the adrenal function in a rat model

【Objective】To explore the effect of unilateral ureteral obstruction on the adrenal function in a rat model.【Methods】36 SD rats were randomly divided into two groups:unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO)model was employed,and sham-operated rats were used as control.28 days after surgery,all the rats were submitted to maximum exercise tolerance test(METT),and the maximum aerobic velocity was observed.At the day 0,day 28,and after METT,the serum levels of adrenaline,noradrenaline and corticosterone in rats were detected by ELISA.【Results】1 The maximum aerobic velocity in UUO model rats was lower than that in control rats(P<0.05).2 At the beginning(day 0),there no significant difference were found in the levels of adrenaline,noradrenaline and corticosterone between two groups.3 28 days after surgery,the levels of adrenaline,noradrenaline and corticosterone in UUO model rats were slightly higher than those in control rats,but the differences were not significant(P>0.05).4After METT,the levels of adrenaline and corticosterone in UUO model rats were lower than those in control rats significantly(P<0.05).The level of noradrenaline in UUO model rats was higher than that in control rats,but there is no significant difference between two groups(P>0.05).【Conclusions】Unilateral ureteral obstruction resulted in the decrease of exercise tolerance in rats,which may contribute to the inhibition of the adrenal secretion.

Cyst aspiration with gonadotropin suppression in ovarian remnant syndrome with ureteral obstruction: A case report

Background: Ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) is characterized by functional ovarian tissue following bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. ORS presents with pelvic pain or mass, but may also present with urinary tract symptoms resulting from enlarging residual tissue. Case: A 37 year old woman presented with pelvic pain radiating to her flank due to ureteral obstruction from an enlarging ovarian cyst in ORS. Transvaginal ultrasound guided, ovarian cyst aspiration accompanied by leuprolide acetate gonadotropin suppression resulted in acute and chronic relief of ureteral obstruction. Conclusion: This case demonstrated successful treatment of ureteral obstruction caused by an ovarian cyst in a patient with ORS via cyst aspiration and leuprolide acetate gonadotropin suppression. This treatment is a viable alternative for management of ORS, but sacrifices pathologic diagnosis when compared to traditional surgical resection.

Role of buccal mucosa graft ureteroplasty in the surgical management of pyeloplasty failure

Objective:Secondary pyeloplasty for recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstructions may be a safe and feasible surgical option for patients.This study aimed to demonstrate outcomes of utilizing a non-transecting buccal mucosa graft ureteroplasty for management of recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction after prior failed pyeloplasty.Methods:We performed a retrospective review of our Collaborative of Reconstructive Robotic Ureteral Surgery database for all consecutive patients who underwent buccal mucosa graft ureteroplasty between April 2012 and June 2022 for management of recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstructions after prior failed pyeloplasty.The primary outcome included surgical success which was defined as the absence of flank pain and no obstruction on imaging.Results:Overall,ten patients were included in our analysis.The median stricture length was 2.5(interquartile range[IQR]1.8-4.0)cm.The median operative time was 230.5(IQR 199.5-287.0)min and median estimated blood loss was 50.0(IQR 28.8-102.5)mL.At a median follow-up of 10.3(IQR 6.2-14.8)months,80%of patients were surgically successful and there were no major(ClavieneDindo Grade>2)complications.Conclusion:Buccal mucosa graft ureteroplasty is a valuable non-transecting surgical option for patients with recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstructions who failed prior pyeloplasty and has comparable outcomes to the literature regarding standard transecting techniques.

Interventional Radiology Procedures after Pediatric Pyeloplasty and Ureteral Reimplantation in Patients with Postoperative Obstruction

Introduction: Obstructive complication after pyeloplasty or ureteral reimplant surgery is a rare though worrisome problem in pediatric urology. These are often complex patients with complicated post-operative courses that at times require interventional radiology procedures. The current literature is lacking in guiding principles to manage these complications. In this study we have reviewed these difficult to manage patients at our children’s hospital over the past 15 years. Methods: A list of patients who underwent interventional radiology procedures to place nephrostomy tubes or internal double-J ureteral stents was compared a list of patients undergoing pyeloplasty or reimplant procedures. These lists were cross-referenced to a list of patients undergoing cystoscopic removal of double-J stents. This small patient group does not represent all complications but those with radiology intervention. Results: At our institution, during the years 1998-2011 we performed 458 pyeloplasties and 3003 open ureteral reimplant procedures. 14 (0.4%) met all of the inclusion criteria. The long term outcome of these problems showed 11 of these patients went on to stability or improvement with either percutaneous drainage or JJ stent placement alone, and three of the reimplant patients ultimately required redo surgery. Of our pyeloplasty patients only three required percutaneous nephrostomy tube, and one went on to JJ stent placement (0.66% of pyeloplasties). No patients in the pyeloplasty group needed surgical revision. Of patients how had undergone ureteral reimplantation, with or without tapering, seven of them underwent interventional radiology procedures (0.23% of reimplant patients). Conclusion: Pediatric urology patients with persistent obstruction after pyeloplasties and ureteral reimplantation surgery with or without tapering who needed interventional radiology rescue procedure resolved or stabilized in 11 of 14 patients. Surgical revision was performed in only 3 of our 14 patients after months of conservative trial after interventional radiologic procedures.

Determining the Utility of Pathologic Analysis of Ureteral Specimens Obtained from Repair of Vesicoureteral Reflux and Ureterovesical Junction Obstruction in Children: Potential for Physician-Initiated Cost-Reduction

Purpose: Partial resection of the distal ureter is commonly performed during reconstructive surgery in pediatric urology;particularly for correction of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and ureterovesical junction obstruction (UVJO). Many hospitals require pathologic examination of all excised tissues. We examined the pathologic findings in such specimens to evaluate the utility of this practice. Methods: We reviewed the findings on pathologic examination of distal ureteral segments excised during surgical correction of VUR and UVJO in children by a single surgeon over a 13-year period. Results: One hundred and ninety-one specimens from 126 patients were reviewed. None were found to have any significant pathologic findings that impacted therapy. Conclusion: Routine pathological examination of distal ureteral segments excised during surgical correction of VUR and UVJO is not warranted. This presents potential for cost and resource reduction in care of these patients.

Diagnosis and management of ureteral complications following renal transplantation

When compared with maintenance dialysis,renal transplantation affords patients with end-stage renal disease better long-term survival and a better quality of life.Approximately 9% of patients will develop a major urologic complication following kidney transplantation.Ureteral complications are most common and include obstruction(intrinsic and extrinsic),urine leak and vesicoureteral reflux.Ureterovesical anastomotic strictures result from technical error or ureteral ischemia.Balloon dilation or endoureterotomy may be considered for short,low-grade strictures,but open reconstruction is associated with higher success rates.Urine leak usually occurs in the early postoperative period.Nearly 60% of patients can be successfully managed with a pelvic drain and urinary decompression(nephrostomy tube,ureteral stent,and indwelling bladder catheter).Proximal,large-volume,or leaks that persist despite urinary diversion,require open repair.Vesicoureteral reflux is common following transplantation.Patients with recurrent pyelonephritis despite antimicrobial prophylaxis require surgical treatment.Deflux injection may be considered in recipients with low-grade disease.Grade IV and V reflux are best managed with open reconstruction.

Trabecular bone deterioration at the greater trochanter ol mice with unilateral obstructive nephropathy

Our previous study showed the early molecular responses of bone in response to obstructive nephropathy in a unilateral ureteral obstruction （UUO） mouse model. Here, we addressed the changes in trabecular bone properties at greater trochanter, the proximal and the distal metaphysis of femur in UUO mice. The male mice were subjected to UUO （n= 10） or sham operation （n= 10）. All mice were killed on day 7 after the surgical operation. The micro-computed tomography （micro-CT） analysis for different femoral trabecular bone sites demonstrated pathological alterations of trabecular bone mass and micro-networks at greater trochanter as shown by decreases in bone mineral density/bone volume （P〈O.05） and trabecular number （P〈O.05） and increases in trabecular separation （P〈O.01） and bone surface/bone volume （P〈O.05） in UUO mice. The present study demonstrates that UUO-induced unilateral obstructivenephropathy has markedly detrimental effects on the trabecular trochanter of the femur.

Ureteral reconstruction with decellularized small intestinal submucosa matrix for ureteral stricture: A preliminary report of two cases

Objective:To determine the feasibility of decellularized small intestinal submu-cosa(5IS)matrix in repairing ureteral strictures.Methods:Two patients with ureteral stenoses underwent ureteral reconstruction with SIS ma-trix at the Zhejiang Provincial Corps Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Forces between June 2014 and June 2016.The ureteral stenoses were repaired with a semi-tubular SIS matrix and the postoperative recoveries were observed.Results:Both operations were successfully completed.The average operative time was 90 min and the average length of hospital stay was 15 days.No fevers,incision infections,intestinal obstruction,graft rejection,or other serious complications were noted.After 2 months,ure-teroscopic examinations showed that the surfaces of the original patches were covered by mu-Cosa and there were no apparent stenoses in the lumens.The ureteral stents were replaced every 2 months postoperatively and removed 12 months postoperatively.No infections or uri-nary leakage occurred after removal of the stents.Intravenous urography was performed 6 and 12 months postoperatively.The results showed that the ureters were not obstructed and there was no apparent stenosis at the anastomosis sites.The average follow-up time was>12 months.Long-term follow-up is still ongoing,and computed tomography examin ations of the urinary tract have been conducted in the outpatient department of our hospital 1,3,and 6 months after removal of the double-J stents,suggesting the absence of hydronephrosis.The serum creatinine levels remained stable during the follow-up.Conclusion:SIS matrix reconstruction is a feasible method to repair ureters stenosis.

Metallic ureteral stent in restoring kidney function: Nine case reports

BACKGROUND Retroperitoneal fibrosis is an exceptionally rare disease characterized by proliferation of fibrous tissue and inflammation in the retroperitoneum.It features many symptoms in the kidneys and in other organs and usually leads to ureteral obstruction.CASE SUMMARY Here we present 9 consecutive cases of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis(IRPF)in patients who presented to the Department of Nephrology or Department of Rheumatology,Xuanwu Hospital,Capital Medical University,Beijing,China,between January 2012 and June 2017 with ureteral obstruction due to external compression of the ureter that led to hydronephrosis and kidney dysfunction.Computed tomography imaging was used to identify hydronephrosis and ureteral obstruction and to evaluate kidney function.Each patient was diagnosed with IRPF based on clinical observation and computed tomography examination results.To restore kidney function,a retrograde metallic stent was placed in the ureter under X-ray guidance 2 d after each patient’s admission.No perioperative complications occurred in any patient,but postoperative complications occurred in two patients as follows:Patient 2 had stent migration and repeated metallic stent infections that resolved with treatment;and patient 4 had postoperative hematuria because he resumed normal activities too soon after stent placement(contrary to instruction).Placement of the metallic ureteral stents provided relief from ureteral obstruction and restored kidney function in all patients.CONCLUSION Our 9-case series underscores the utility and efficacy of applying the Resonance®metallic ureteral stent to treat ureteral obstruction in patients with IRPF.For all retroperitoneal fibrosis cases in our series,ureteral stents provided effective relief and were shown to reduce the incidence rate of perioperative and postoperative complications.