Ureteral metallic stents: application of virtual endoscopy for ureteral patency control.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study we have applied virtual endoscopy (VE) in patients with ureteral metallic stents as a follow-up tool study especially in the need to define ureteral patency.


METHODS
We performed the suggested technique in 6 patients with malignant ureteral obstruction treated successfully by placement of Wallstent intraureteral metallic stents, and correlated the results with antegrade nephrostomography 48 hours after initial stent placement.


RESULTS
In 2 patients restenosis was observed, and in the remaining 4 patients the stented ureters remained patent during the follow up evaluation. VE and antegrade nephrostomography, were concurrent as to their findings. Moreover, VE proceeds beyond the stenotic segment, allowing visualization of the ureteral lumen both cephalad and caudal to the point of obstruction.


CONCLUSIONS
VE is providing indeed a more accurate, direct and dynamic approach in the evaluation of a strictured ureteral lumen within the metallic stent.
Siablis
Dimitrios
D
Department of Radiology, University of Patras, School of Medicine, Patras, Greece.
Kagadis
George C
GC
Liatsikos
Evangelos N
EN
Kalogeropoulou
Christina
C
Petsas
Theodoros
T
Karnabatidis
Dimitrios
D
Voudoukis
Theodoros
T
Sakelaropoulos
George C
GC
Nikiforidis
George
G
Barbalias
George A
GA
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014516:Ureteral Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018666:Ureteroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D014563:Urodynamics; D014584:User-Computer Interface
D008670:Metals