Long-Term Comparative Outcomes Between 2 Common Ureteroneocystostomy Techniques for Renal Transplantation

Purpose: We compared the incidence of ureteral complications between the classic (Lich-Gregoir) technique and the recently popularized single stitch (Shanfield) technique in renal transplantation.Materials and Methods: The charts of 721 consecutive transplant recipients from May 1999 to July 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Ureteral and nonureteral complications were reviewed at 3 to 5-year followup.Results: Of the 721 recipients evaluated 713 were included in the study. There were 360 recipients in the Lich-Gregoir group and 353 in the Shanfield group. A significantly higher rate of ureteral complications occurred in the Shanfield group compared to the Lich-Gregoir group (15.6% vs 3.9%, p <0.0001). The Shanfield group consisted of 20 patients with ureteral leakage, 21 with hematuria, 11 with strictures and 3 who had ureteral stones. The Lich-Gregoir group had 8 patients with ureteral leakage, 5 with hematuria and 1 with a stricture. In comparison, urinary tract infections, delayed graft function and r...