Ureter
If less invasive measures are deemed ineffective to treat the patient’s specific case of ureteric condition, then Dr. Hayden might advise open ureteric surgery to alleviate soreness and discomfort of the upper urinary tract.
Ureteric injury repair
A ureteric injury might require the surgical repair of the ureter. The recovery time following ureteric repair surgery can vary greatly from case to case.
Excision as part of a nephroureterectomy
If a patient has been diagnosed with ureteric transitional cell cancer, perhaps with the following up of bladder cancer, Dr. Hayden might order the excision of the ureter as part of a nephroureterectomy. A nephroureterectomyis the surgical removal of the patient’s renal pelvis, kidney, ureter and bladder cuff. Recovery from a nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision procedure can vary greatly from patient to patient, and regular follow-up tests and checks will need to be conducted.
Repair of ureteric stenosis / ureteral fistula
A severe ureteral stricture (narrowing of the ureter) might require surgical ureteral stricture treatment for the repair of ureteric stenosis. Dr. Hayden will recommend ureteral stricture surgery when closed (internal) ureteral stretching procedures have been unsuccessful. If, however, a ureteral fistula is present (an abnormal connection between the ureter and another organ or the skin, causing urine to leak out), then fistula repair will be carried out. The recovery time from ureteral stricture surgery and fistula repair surgery varies from patient to patient, depending on the severity of the condition.
Open ureterolithotomy
When a patient has been diagnosed with large or hard to dislodge ureteral stones, an open ureterolithotomy will be ordered after less invasive measures have failed. This ureteral stone treatment is done under general anaesthetic, and will involve Dr. Hayden making a single incision in the patient in order to physically remove the urinary tract stones. The recovery time from the procedure to remove kidney stones from the ureter will vary from patient to patient, depending on the extent of the surgery required.
Ureteric re-implantation
Ureteric re-implantation is pursued for one of two reasons. If, due to trauma or injury, the patient’s ureter (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder) has been disconnected or dislodged, Dr. Hayden will reimplant the ureter into the bladder. However, particularly in children, ureteral re-implantation is also sometimes pursued to treat vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), also known as bladder reflux or kidney reflux, which is the backward (abnormal) flow of urine from the bladder to the kidneys. The procedure is done under general anaesthetic and the recovery time from ureter reimplantation or kidney reflux surgery will depend on the individual case.
Ureteric injuries may be caused by blunt force due to a motor vehicle accident or a fall or by penetrating force due to a gunshot or stabbing. Other injuries may occur unintentionally during surgery.
Left untreated, ureteral injuries may cause complications such as:
- Blockage of urine flow
- Formation of a collection of pus
- Narrowing of the ureter
- Persistent urinary leakage and infection
- Formation of an abnormal connection to another abdominal structure
After surgery, it is common that you experience bladder spasms or intermittent cramping, urinary frequency, and loss of small amounts of blood-tinged urine. There may be temporary kidney pain while passing urine.