Persistent, long-term risk for ureteroenteric anastomotic stricture formation: the case for long term follow-up

Up to one in ten patients undergoing cystectomy with urinary diversion develop a ureteroenteric stricture (UES). Despite unrecognized ureteral obstruction contributing to infection, nephrolithiasis, and/or progression of kidney disease, the long-term natural history and risk factors associated with UES remains understudied. Herein, we report our single institutional experience with the long-term incidence, clinical presentation, and risk factors associated with UES formation following urinary diversion.

We reviewed 2,285 patients who underwent RC with urinary diversion between 1980-2008. UES was defined as radiographic evidence of ureteral obstruction at the level of the ureteroenteric anastomosis. The diagnosis of benign UES was confirmed by pathology. UES-free survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The association between clinicopathologic features and the development of a UES were assessed using multivariable models.

A total of 192 (8%) patients developed a benign UES, at a median of 7 months (IQR 4-24) following RC, with 5% occurring after 10 years. Seventy seven percent of patients exhibited signs and/or symptoms of ureteral obstruction. Patients who developed a UES had a greater body mass index (BMI) (28 vs. 27), operative time (330 vs. 301 minutes) and were more likely to experience a <30-day Clavien ≥3 complication (all P<0.05). Receipt of abdominal radiation and smoking history were not significantly associated with UES stricture risk. On multivariable analysis, only greater BMI (per 1-unit increase) (OR 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02-1.09; P=0.0009) and <30-day Clavien ≥3 complication (OR 2.85, 95% CI: 1.90-4.28; P<0.0001) were associated with the development of a UES. Development of UES was associated with renal function deterioration.

UES was identified in 8% of patients following RC with urinary diversion, with the majority presenting with symptoms. While the majority of these occur in the first 2 years after surgery, a patients' risk for the development of this complication persists beyond 10 years. Due to the adverse sequelae of UES, long-term functional and imaging surveillance following urinary diversion is warranted, and early reconstruction should be considered.