Ureteric Stenting in Kidney Transplant Recipients, Gdansk Centre Experience, Poland

Abstract Background The role of ureteric stenting in kidney transplant recipients is still debatable. Stenting can reduce the incidence of urine leaks and ureter stenosis, but can be also associated with specific complications, particularly urinary tract infections (UTIs). Material and methods To estimate the influence of ureteric stenting on urological complications in kidney transplantation (KTx), we retrospectively analyzed all KTx performed between January 2011 and December 2016 in Gdansk Transplantation Centre, a total of 628 patients. Ureteric stenting was used in 502 patients (80%)—double-J (DJ) group. Catheters were implanted during the surgical procedure and left in situ for a mean time of 30 days. Result The frequency of urinary leaks was 10 times higher in patients without stenting (10%). Ureter stenosis was also more frequent in the non-DJ group (8.7% vs 1.6%, P P P P P > .05). UTIs were more frequent in the DJ group (22.1% vs 16.7%), but the difference was not significant. Time of hospitalization was longer in patients with UTI (34 vs 22 days, P Conclusions Ureteric stenting can protect patients from most frequent urological complications like urine leaks and ureter stenosis. The influence of ureteric stenting on UTI development is not strong in our material.