Surgical treatment of retroperitoneal fibrosis with omentoplasty.

The main goal of surgery for retroperitoneal fibrosis is to free the ureters from sclerotic tissue and pressure them from further extension of the disease; the omentum may be used as an efficient barrier against recurrence of fibrosis. We present 11 patients with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis treated with ureterolysis and omentoplasty - in four patients the procedure was performed bilaterally, in seven the omentum was used to protect only one ureter, but in six there was a surgical or functional solitary kidney. Out of 15 ureters, residual dilatation was observed only in two, with marked clinical improvement in all patients. Mean follow-up was 51 months.