External-internal ureteral catheterization technique in treatment of ureteral injuries

BACKGROUND/AIM: It was aimed to describe the external-internal ureteral catheterization technique and evaluate its safety, efficacy, and reliability in iatrogenic and traumatic ureteral injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on patients with iatrogenic and traumatic ureteral injury, treated using the external-internal ureteral catheterization technique between May 2012 and January 2018 in our hospital. A total of 14 patients were investigated with clinical, postoperative, and follow-up findings, as well as technical outcomes. RESULTS: The urology, gynecology, and general surgery departments referred patients for treatment at a rate of 57% (n = 8), 36% (n = 5), and 7% (n = 1), respectively. The causes were urological procedures for lithiasis (43%, n = 6), gynecological surgery (36%, n = 5), rectosigmoid surgery (7%, n = 1), penetrating injury (7%, n = 1), and partial nephrectomy (7%, n = 1). The most commonly affected segment was the distal third of the ureter, at a rate of 79% (n = 11). The mean duration of catheterization in all of the patients was 39 days. The overall technical success was 100% and no major complications occurred. CONCLUSION: The external-internal ureteral catheterization technique in patients with ureteral injury is easy to apply and effective not only in reducing costs but also complications that may result from recurrent percutaneous interventions.