Endoscopic versus open approach of bladder cuff and distal ureter in the management of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma.

Objective: Nephroureterectomy with the removal of the ipsilateral ureteral orifice and bladder cuff en bloc remains the gold standard treatment for upper urinary tract urothelial cancer. The distal ureter can be removed with the open surgical technique or endoscopic approach. We compared the outcomes of the endoscopic approach with those of conventional open surgery on the distal ureter.