Balloon Dilation of the Ureter: A Contemporary Review of Outcomes and Complications

Purpose: During ureteroscopy ureteral balloon dilation may be necessary to allow for passage of endoscopic instruments or access sheaths. We assessed the efficacy and complications associated with ureteral balloon dilation.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records at 2 institutions from 2000 to 2012 to identify patients who underwent ureteral balloon dilation during ureteroscopic treatment of upper tract stones. An 18Fr balloon dilator was used in all cases. Patients with documented ureteral stricture, radiation therapy or urothelial cancer were excluded from analysis. Primary outcomes were the stone-free rate, operative complications, balloon dilation failure and the postoperative ureteral stricture rate. Complications were divided into intraoperative and postoperative groups according to the Satava and Clavien-Dindo classifications, respectively.Results: A total of 151 patients fulfilled study criteria. Median followup was 12 months. The stone-free rate was 72% and median time to fi...