Ureteral Stenting Using a Combined Antegrade/ Retrograde Procedure: A technique for difficult cases

Abstract

Ureteral stenting is a procedure of daily routine. There are however cases in which cystoscopic placement of a stent fails despite various technical aids. Percutaneous nephrostomy is usually performed in those patients. In some cases however it is no reasonable alternative. For these special cases we used a combined antegrade/retrograde technique consisting in antegrade guide wire insertion followed by retrograde ureteral stenting. In 8 of 12 cases it was finally possible to insert a ureteral stent with this method. To our mind this technique should be applied when other attempts of stenting have failed and percutaneous nephrostomy is no reasonable alternative.