Metal Stents: A New Treatment of Malignant Ureteral Obstruction

Abstract

Both types of metal stents have advantages and disadvantages that must be balanced against each other when choosing the ideal device for the treatment of obstruction. Implantation of a metal self-expanding or balloon expanding stent is safe and effective for the palliative treatment of malignant ureteral obstruction in late stage cancer patients.

Long‐term results of permanent metallic stent implantation in the treatment of benign upper urinary tract occlusion

“…17 The metal stent did not increase the risk of urinary tract infection in other reports. 7,[11][12][13] In our series, four patients showed the proof of infection, two by histological exam, and two by urine culture. All four patients had an assisted Double-J stent in their ureters.…”

“…5 Since then several types of metal stents have been manufactured and used successfully for the treatment of extrinsic malignant and benign ureteral strictures. [6][7][8][9] The characteristics of metal stents commonly used in the clinic are stated in Table 2. In China, metal stents were first used in 1995, 10 and in 2000 we reported our preliminary results of treating benign upper urinary tract occlusion with metal stents.…”

Metallic Stents in Gynecologic Cancer: An Approach to Treat Extrinsic Ureteral Obstruction

“…In a previous publication [15]we have reported our experience with the use of metallic stents in the treatment of malignant ureteral obstruction, showing promising results and suggesting the use of these stents for the palliation of late–stage cancer patients. We have also used these stents as an adequate, safe, and effective alternative treatment for anastomotic strictures developed after ureteroileal diversion [22].…”

“…3), mounted on a 7–Fr catheter. The design and detailed methodology of stent insertion have been previously described [13, 14, 15, 16]. The stents used were 4–10 cm long, reached a diameter of 7 mm when fully expanded, and were placed in a manner that the upper end exceeded the obstruction by at least 3–4 cm, whereas the lower end protruded intravesically for 0.5–1 cm from the ureteral orifice.…”

“…Metal stents have also been used in the treatment of malignant ureteral obstructions by us and several other authors with encouraging results, since they seem to restore the physiological flow inside the ureter and provide the desirable long–lasting solution for these patients [13, 14, 15, 16, 17]. …”