[Conservative management of upper tract urinary fistulae using ureteral trans-vesico-parietal stent]

OBJECTIVES

Ureteral stents and ureteral catheters externalized through the urethra are not ideal solutions to manage complicated upper urinary tract fistulae. We sought an effective method of drainage, minimally invasive, reproducible allowing a rapid patient's discharge.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between November 2013 and February 2015, an ureteral stent was exteriorized in trans-vesico-parietal by an endoscopic and percutaneous access in patients with complicated upper urinary tract fistulae. Monitoring of tolerance, complications and urinary fistula healing was performed.

RESULTS

Nine consecutive patients had an ureteral stent exteriorized in trans-vesico-parietal to manage complicated upper urinary tract fistulae. There was no failure in introducing the catheter, or postoperative complication. Catheters were left in place on average 36.1days (24-55). The patients were able to return home with the catheter in place in 77.8% of cases. The tolerance of the catheter was good. All fistulae were able to be treated conservatively at the end of the drainage period.

CONCLUSION

Trans-vesico-parietal ureteral catheters enable efficient and reproducible conservative treatment of upper tract urinary fistulae regardless of their cause.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

5.

[Use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the treatment of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract]

Urothelial carcinomas of the upper urinary tract are rare entities. Surgery remains the mainstay of the management. The use of others therapeutic modalities is not clearly defined yet. However, the frequency of local recurrence and locoregional encourage us to evaluate the indication of adjuvant therapies. We conducted a synthesis of key data in the literature on the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the treatment of urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter. A literature search on PubMed was performed using the following keywords (MeSH) "urothelial carcinoma", "upper urinary tract", "radiation", "chemotherapy", and adjuvant.