Ureteral stents placed at the time of urinary diversion decreases postoperative morbidity.

OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of stenting ureteroenteric anastomoses on postoperative stricture rate and gastrointestinal recovery in continent and noncontinent urinary diversions (UDs). PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and pathologic data on 192 consecutive patients who underwent a radical cystectomy and UD. Patients received either a continent or noncontinent UD with or without stent placement through the ureteroenteric anastomoses. Stricture rate, gastrointestinal recovery, length of hospital stay, and stricture characteristics were analyzed. Study endpoints were compared between four groups--stented and nonstented continent and stented and nonstented noncontinent UDs. RESULTS 36% of patients were stented and 64% were nonstented at the time of UD. Total ureteral stricture rate was 9.9%. There was no statistically significant difference in stricture rate (p = 0.11) or length of hospital stay (p = 0.081) in stented compared to nonstented patients. There was a significantly (p = 0.014) greater rate of ileus in patients who were nonstented in both continent and noncontinent UDs. CONCLUSION Stenting of ureteroenteric anastomoses in both continent and noncontinent UD has no effect on postoperative stricture rate, but is associated with lower rates of postoperative ileus.