Prolonged urinary leakage after partial nephrectomy: a novel management pathway

To describe an original method for managing prolonged urinary leakage after partial nephrectomy. We placed a Malecot catheter in the ureter to improve the urinary drainage and therefore avoid the renal percutaneous treatment of the fistula or potential open surgery.

We performed ureteral stenting using a 16 F Malecot catheter in 3 patients who had a prolonged urinary fistula after partial nephrectomy in which the placement of a ureteral stent could not resolve the urine leak. Drainage using 2 ureteral catheters was performed, which proved to be insufficient for the urinary fistula to resolve. We subsequently placed in the dilated ureter a 16 F Malecot catheter into the renal pelvis using a cystoscopic approach and a bladder catheter to complete the drainage. In all cases, the urine leak stopped after stenting with the Malecot catheter. At 1 month after the stenting, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed complete healing of the fistula. No infection or secondary ureteral stricture was reported.

This technique with a low complication profile can be used as an additional endoscopic step, before more invasive procedures.