title: Balloon dilatation in the treatment of ureteral stenosis in kidney transplant recipients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the usefulness of balloon percutaneous dilatation as a starting treatment technique of ureteral stenosis in kidney transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 472 kidney transplants have been performed at our center between August 1981 and January 1997. The coexistence of high creatinine values and urinary tract dilatation in the postoperative period, after discarding concomitant causes, was managed with a percutaneous nephrostomy. Once renal function had recovered, antegrade pyelography was performed to confirm ureteral stenosis and to determine its location. The dilatations are performed by means of 5-french balloon-fitted angioplasty catheters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty patients were diagnosed with ureteral stenosis during follow-up, i.e. an incidence of 6.3%. Transluminal balloon dilatation was made as a first therapeutic option in 18 cases. No immediate complications were observed following dilatation. Disappearance of the stenosis as well as maintenance of the improvement in creatinine levels were verified in 39% of cases (7 patients).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ureteral stenosis in kidney transplant recipients should be included as part of the differential diagnosis when there is a deterioration in renal function. Balloon dilatation is the technique chosen as initial treatment of juxtavesical ureteral stenosis because of its good reproducibility and its low morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Urology Service, Fundación Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Collado
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caparrós
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guirado
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosales
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martí
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solà
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vicente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014567:Urography