Ureteroarterial Fistulas After Robotic and Open Radical Cystectomy

Arterial Fistulas in Urinary Diverted Patients: A Report of 5 Cases

OBJECTIVE

Arterio-urinary fistulae are a rare but potentially lethal complication that may arise after pelvic surgery, such as radical cystectomy. Historically, open surgery was the gold standard treatment, but currently endovascular treatment has gained prominence.

METHODS

We report our centre experience in endovascular treatment of cystectomy-related arterial fistulae and review the reported literature on the topic. During the postoperative period of radical cystoprostatectomy five patients presented different ranges of haematuria, and one presented rectal bleeding, four of them with haemodynamic instability. An urgent three-phase computed tomography was performed, showing active bleeding in 2 patients, while the rest of the patients presented indirect signs of fistulae. An angiography was performed, showing contrast extravasation in 60% of the cases and vessel wall irregularity in 40%. Five arteriourinary fistulae and one arterioenteric fistula were urgently treated with a covered stent placement, sealing the site of the fistula in the artery.

RESULTS

Immediate results were satisfactory in all cases; however, one patient died secondary to fistula-related causes 15 days post-treatment. No stent thrombosis or rebleeding have been registered during follow-up. In this review, reported results and complications after covered stent placement are shown, and controversial topics such as antibiotic coverage and antithrombotic treatment after endovascular treatment are also reviewed.

A multidisciplinary case of ureteroiliac fistula after radical cystectomy

Ureteroiliac fistula is a rare complication associated with ureteral stenting and iliac artery reconstruction and can lead to life-threatening hemorrhage. We report a case of acute bleeding from a ureteroiliac fistula in an 89-year-old man with bladder cancer who had undergone pelvic radiation, radical cystectomy, and ileal conduit complicated by ureteral strictures requiring routine stent exchanges. Multidisciplinary diagnostic therapies revealed the fistula, which was treated with hypogastric artery coiling and covered stent placement. No further bleeding issues had resulted from the fistula at 11 months of follow-up. The presence of a ureteroiliac fistula should be considered in any patient with a similar history.

Systematic Review of the Management of Ureteroarterial Fistulas After Ileal Conduit Urinary Diversion

OBJECTIVE. No studies or guidelines exist to direct management of ureteroarterial fistula (UAF) after ileal conduit urinary diversion in which the possible risks and complications associated with stent-graft infection from the conduit flora must be reconciled with those of open surgical repair. This study seeks to characterize the clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and optimal diagnostic and therapeutic management of this entity through a systematic review of the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A systematic search of the English-language literature using the PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases was performed: 264 abstracts were identified. From those abstracts, 32 studies comprising 40 patients with 43 UAFs were selected for analysis. Data points including demographics, clinical presentation, UAF specifications, procedural details, postprocedural complications, and clinical outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS. Predisposing factors included female sex, chronic ureteral stent placement, and past surgical intervention and irradiation for pelvic malignancy. Fistulization was overwhelmingly unilateral (95.0% of patients) and included the common iliac artery (90.7% of UAFs). Combined endovascular and endoureteral modalities presented similar outcomes compared with surgical approaches in terms of UAF-related mortality (7.1% vs 13.3%, respectively) and complication rates (28.6% vs 26.7%) during a similar median follow-up period (9.5 vs 14.0 months). Endovascular stent-graft infections were present in 14.3% of cases and represented a leading indication for reintervention after endovascular management (50.0%). CONCLUSION. Short- and intermediate-term outcomes of combined endovascular and endoureteral techniques compare favorably with those of surgical approaches in the treatment of UAF after ileal conduit urinary diversion. Although there is a relatively low stent-graft infection rate, close follow-up within the first year after the procedure is required given the propensity of complications to develop during this window. The use of postprocedural antibiotics is uncertain but is likely prudent.

Endovascular Management of Ureteroarterial Fistula: Single Institution Experience and Systematic Literature Review

Background:

Ureteroarterial fistula (UAF) represents an uncommon complication after urological surgery; however, this is a well-documented condition in patients with predisposing risk factors. The aim of the present study is to report and analyze the endovascular management of a series of patients with UAF, treated in authors’ hospital, and to report and analyze the same data concerning patients retrieved from a systematic literature review.

Methods:

Authors conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data and a systematic literature review. The research was carried out through PubMed database searching the following keywords: “uretero arterial fistula” and “uretero iliac fistula.” It includes only articles reporting the endovascular management.

Results:

Forty-six articles were included in the present study for a total of 94 patients. Risk factors were as follows: chronic indwelling ureteral stents, pelvic surgery, radiotherapy, iliac artery pseudo-aneurysm, and chemotherapy. All patients had gross hematuria at presentation. Stent graft placement was performed in 89 patients, embolization in 5 patients, and iliac internal artery embolization combined with stent graft placement was performed in 24 patients. Four postprocedural complications were observed (4.2%). During a median follow-up of 8 months, 10 complications related to UAF were observed (10.6%): rebleeding (7 cases) and stent thrombosis (3 cases). Two patients died for causes related to UAF (2.1%): rebleeding (1) and retroperitoneal abscess (1).

Conclusion:

Based on the present data, endovascular treatment is feasible and safe with low postprocedural complications and mortality rate. Considering the increase in surgery and radiotherapy performed, UAF should be always debated in patients with massive hematuria.