Management of extrinsic malignant ureteral obstruction with urinary diversion

Objective:  The effectiveness of urinary diversion for patients with renal insufficiency due to extrinsic ureteral obstruction was assessed.Methods:  Between 1990 and 2003, 30 males and 45 females, ranging 36–90 years of age (average, 62.7) who had secondary ureteral obstruction due to either a retroperitoneal or pelvic invasion of malignant disease, underwent nephrostomy or ureteral stenting using a double‐J stent without side holes.Results:  Ureteral stenting was attempted as an initial procedure in 51 of the 75 cases. The remaining 24 cases had a nephrostomy at the first step. Of 51, 37 cases were successfully stented, while internal stenting was unsuccessful in the remaining 14 cases. These 14 cases were treated with nephrostomy at the second step following the unsuccessful internal stenting. Eight cases of the 37 successfully stented cases were eventually changed to a nephrostomy because of catheter trouble. As a result, 29 cases could be managed by internal ureteral stenting up until the end of their life. The follow‐up period for the 75 cases who underwent urinary diversion ranged from 5 days to 19 months, averaging 5.7 months. The average period from diversion to death was 5.6 months in the internally stented group and 5.9 months in the nephrostomy group.Conclusion:  The high patency rate of the internal ureteral stent in our cases might be due to our use of a stent without shaft vent holes.