Covered metallic ureteral stent in the management of malignant ureteral obstruction: preliminary results.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of ureteral Dacron-covered metallic stents in the management of malignant ureteral obstruction.

METHODS

Covered metallic stents were placed unilaterally using a percutaneous approach in an antegrade fashion into nine ureters of 8 patients with bilateral malignant ureteral obstruction. The contralateral kidneys were drained by percutaneous nephrostomy in 7 patients. The primary diagnoses were rectal cancer in 5 patients and cervical, bladder, and prostate cancers in the remaining cases.

RESULTS

Covered metallic stents could be successfully placed in all patients. Only one of nine ureters was stented with a double J-stent. In a mean follow-up of 9 months (range 1 to 14), 7 of 8 patients died because of their primary disease. During the follow-up period, none of the stents were obstructed, displaced, or infected.

CONCLUSIONS

Dacron-covered metallic stents appear to be successful in the treatment of patients with malignant ureteral obstruction. The preliminary outcome encourages and justifies the application of this drainage method.