[Technical features of intestinal ureteroplasty. Part 7: forming ureterointestinal anastomoses]

To present the results and technical features of forming the ureterointestinal anastomoses in intestinal ureteral substitution.

From 1998 to December 2016, 168 patients (mean age 51 +/- 8.7 years) underwent ureteral substitution using intestinal segments at the Urology Clinic of the I.I. Mechnikov NWSMU. Of them, 76 (45.2%) were males. In 119 (70.8%) patients, intestinal segments were used to replace various parts of the ureters (iliac in 92, colonic in 4, appendix in 23), and in 49 (29.2%) patients ureteroplasty was combined with orthotopic ileocystoplasty. 96 patients underwent isolated ureteral substitution with segments of the small and large bowel.

Among the 96 patients, early postoperative complications occurred in 8 (8.3%) patients, whereof 5 (5.2%) required reoperations. Among them, 2 (2.1%) had a proximal anastomotic failure. Late postoperative complications occurred in 7 (7.3%) patients whereof 4 (4.2%) required surgical treatment. These patients developed strictures of the proximal ureter-intestinal anastomoses over 3 or more months after the operation. The urinary flow was restored by antegrade dilation. Vesicoureteral reflux occurred in 2 (2.1%) patients. However, it was not clinically evident and was not accompanied by hydroureteronephrosis and recurrent urinary tract infection.

A perfect ureterointestinal anastomoses should be easy to create and have a low risk of stenosis and reflux. These requirements are met by direct anastomosis, which is associated with a minimal risk of stricture, and with isoperistaltic positioning and sufficient length (not less than 15 cm) of the graft provides antireflux protection. It should be noted that proximal (ureterointestinal) anastomoses are vulnerable in these operations and prone to the stricture formation. Unlike proximal, the distal anastomosis of the graft with the bladder is always wider, and therefore the risk of its narrowing is minimal. Isoperistaltic positioning of the graft prevents reflux formation.