title: Iatrogenic ureteral injury.
abstract: We treated 27 patients with iatrogenic ureteral injuries during a 6-year period. Gynecological operations were the most common antecedent surgical procedures (52 per cent). The diagnosis of ureteral injury was made immediately in 4 patients and was delayed 1 to 34 days in 23. Three of the 4 injuries recognized during an operation were repaired successfully at the time of injury; the primary repair in the remaining patient leaked and ultimately resulted in a nephrectomy. In the delayed diagnosis group retrograde ureteral catheterization was successful in only 1 of 20 attempts. Of the 23 patients with injuries recognized in the postoperative period 11 were managed successfully with percutaneous nephrostomy (with or without stenting) alone, 3 required surgical repair after temporary percutaneous nephrostomy drainage, 4 were treated surgically without prior nephrostomy drainage and 1 had spontaneous resolution of hydronephrosis. The remaining 3 patients required nephrectomy: 1 because of a urinary fistula in a previously irradiated field, 1 because of a concomitant (ipsilateral) renal cell carcinoma and 1 because of renal hypertension. Percutaneous nephrostomy or ureteral stenting was successful as primary therapy in 73 per cent of the patients in whom it was used.
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D009403:Nephrostomy, Percutaneous; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014513:Ureter / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000601:surgery