title: Intracorporeal ileal ureter replacement using laparoscopy and robotics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ileal ureter is a suitable treatment option for patients with long ureteric strictures. Minimally invasive techniques have been shown to be as safe as open techniques but superior in terms of post-operative recovery. We report our experience using minimally invasive techniques for total intracorporeal ureteral replacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A chart review revealed five patients who underwent intracorporeal ileal ureter using minimally invasive techniques in the preceding 5 years. 4 patients underwent conventional laparoscopic surgery and 1 patient underwent robotic-assisted surgery. Patient's characteristics, perioperative data and functional outcomes as well as a detailed description of surgical technique are reported. In all 5 of these patients, the ileal ureter was performed completely intracorporeally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of our patients is 61 (range 42-73). The median operative time was 250 minutes (range 150-320) and median blood loss was 100 ml (range 50-200). The median hospital stay was 8 days (range 6-10) and there were no major perioperative complications reported. At median follow up of 22 months (range 4-38), there were no recurrences of strictures or any other complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of minimally invasive intracorporeal ileal ureter. Numbers are still small but its application is likely to grow further.
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Allen
authors: A
authors: Sim
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Tilman
authors: T
authors: Todenhöfer
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Mischinger
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Omar
authors: O
authors: Halalsheh
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Boettge
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Steffen
authors: S
authors: Rausch
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Bier
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Aufderklamm
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Arnulf
authors: A
authors: Stenzl
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Georgios
authors: G
authors: Gakis
authors: Department of Urology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Schwentner
keywords: ileal interposition; ileal ureter; intracorporeal; laparoscopy; minimally invasive; robotics; ureteric strictures