Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Mar 26;43(1):189.
doi: 10.1007/s00345-025-05576-7.

Safety analysis of ureterolysis for ureteric obstruction secondary to retroperitoneal fibrosis

James Ross  1 , Maya Morcos  2 , Neal E Rowe  1   3
Affiliations

Safety analysis of ureterolysis for ureteric obstruction secondary to retroperitoneal fibrosis

James Ross et al. World J Urol. .

Abstract

Purpose: Ureterolysis is an uncommonly performed surgery for management of retroperitoneal fibrosis. This study sought to utilize a large, multi-centered database to assess the short-term post-operative outcomes of patients undergoing ureterolysis surgery for retroperitoneal fibrosis.

Methods: Using the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program database, a retrospective review was conducted on patients who underwent ureterolysis for retroperitoneal fibrosis between January 1st, 2006, and December 31st, 2016. Patients who underwent ureterolysis for retroperitoneal fibrosis as a principle operative procedure by a urologist were included. Complications within 30 days of surgery were captured and organized based on the Clavien-Dindo classification system. The prevalence of secondary reconstructive urologic procedures performed at the time of ureterolysis (ureteroureterostomy, ureteroneocystostomy, and ureteroneocystostomy with psoas hitch/bladder flap) was determined.

Results: One hundred patients (51 male, 49 female) were included in the cohort, with a mean age of 57 (IQR 43 and 66, respectively). Of these, six underwent a secondary urological procedure at the time of ureterolysis (1 ureteroureterostomy, 2 ureteoneocystostomy, and 3 ureteroneocystostomy with psoas hitch/bladder flap). The overall complication rate was 12%. Of the patients affected, 92% experienced only Clavien grade I or II complications (wound or urinary infection). Only one patient required return to the operating room (Clavien III) and there were no high-grade complications (Grade IV or V).

Conclusion: Ureterolysis for retroperitoneal fibrosis is an uncommonly performed surgery with generally low incidence of post-operative complications. Ureterolysis may represent a safe treatment option for ureteric obstruction secondary to retroperitoneal fibrosis.

Keywords: Post-operative complications; Retroperitoneal fibrosis; Ureterolysis; Urology.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

References

    1. Ormond JK (1948) Bilateral ureteral obstruction due to envelopment and compression by an inflammatory retroperitoneal process. J Urol 59:1072–1079. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(17)69482-5 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Scheel PJ, Feeley N (2013) Retroperitoneal fibrosis. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 39:365–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rdc.2013.02.004 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Tzou M, Gazeley DJ, Mason PJ (2014) Retroperitoneal fibrosis. Vasc Med Lond Engl 19:407–414. https://doi.org/10.1177/1358863X14546160 - DOI
    1. Zahran MH, Osman Y, Soltan MA et al (2017) Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis: clinical features and long-term renal function outcome. Int Urol Nephrol 49:1327–1334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-017-1608-9 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fernando A, Pattison J, Horsfield C et al (2016) A lot of questions (and a few answers… in retroperitoneal fibrosis. BJU Int 117:16–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.13061 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources