Videoendoscopic retroperitoneal cutaneous ureterostomy.

Since January 1993, 10 patients with bilateral ureteral obstruction due to advanced pelvic cancers underwent videoendosurgical cutaneous ureterostomy. Five patients had prostate cancer, three had uterine cancer, and only two had bladder cancer. In five cases a bilateral laparoscopic transperitoneal procedure (LCU) was performed. In five cases a retroperitoneal laparoscopic technique (RLCU) was adopted, and only in one out of these five cases was the procedure done bilaterally. All the procedures were done under general anesthesia. The procedure was accomplished in all the cases without any intraoperative complication. Monolateral retroperitoneal laparoscopic cutaneous ureterostomy (RLCU) required 35-42 min, including the dilation time. Bilateral RLCU required extra time for changing the position of the patient. Postoperative pain was rather insignificant and did not require additional medication. Postdiversion hospital stay was 3-6 days depending on the general condition of the patient. The mean follow-up was 14.4 months.