Management of Ectopic Ureters: Experience With the Upper Tract Approach

AbstractPurpose: The necessity of removing the ureteral stump after upper tract surgery for an ectopic ureter has been debated. We reviewed the records of patients initially treated at the kidney level to evaluate indications for later stump removal.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 32 patients with 33 ectopic ureters treated at the kidney level during the last 10 years.Results: Ectopic ureters were associated with duplicated collecting systems in 31 cases and with single systems in 2. Upper pole heminephrectomy and partial ureterectomy were performed in 23 units and upper tract reconstruction was done in 8. Both patients with single systems underwent nephrectomy. Four patients (12%) required repeat surgery at the bladder level, including 1 who underwent ureteral reimplantation for persistent ipsilateral lower pole reflux and simultaneous upper pole stump removal. Preoperative voiding cystourethrography revealed reflux into the ectopic ureter in 1 patient with postoperative reflux ...