[Primary ureteral amyloidosis].
OBJECTIVE
Two additional cases of primary ureteral amyloidosis are described. The current literature and clinical classification of the disease are reviewed.


METHODS
Over a period of 18 months, we observed two cases of organic ureteral stenosis whose etiology was difficult to determine. The first case warranted a nephroureterectomy due to the condition of the compromised urinary tract. Analysis of the surgical specimen showed histological evidence of ureteral amyloidosis. In the second case, the previous experience allowed a preoperative diagnosis to be made, an exceptional situation that permitted conservative surgery. Characterization of the amyloid proteins was done in both cases with immunochemical study by Western Blot.


RESULTS
Two patients with primary ureteral amyloidosis were surgically treated. The first case underwent complete excision of the urinary tract. The second case, who had a single kidney, was treated by conservative surgery. In both cases we identified a fragment of the lambda light chain of immunoglobulin by Western Blot characterization as previously reported in localized amyloidosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Although ureteral amyloidosis is an infrequent disease, it should be seriously considered in the differential diagnosis of organic ureteral stenosis in order to avoid unnecessary excision. To our knowledge, these are the first cases of ureteral amyloidosis with immunochemical characterization of the amyloid protein.
Servicio de Urología, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas (C.E.M.I.C.), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
H
H
Fernández
A R
AR
Rovegno
R
R
Marrugar
G A
GA
Lauterstein
M
M
Dávalos Mitchel
M
M
Lombardo
A
A
Avagnina
A
A
Kahan
E
E
Castaño
D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014515:Ureteral Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery