Pfiffner SE, Musa A, Winer IS, Harb AN. Endoureteral ablation: A novel technique to occlude the ureter in patients with urinary tract fistulae. World J Radiol 2024; 16(12): 708-711 [DOI: 10.4329/wjr.v16.i12.708]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Samantha E Pfiffner, Department of Radiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 540 E Canfield St., Detroit, MI 48201, United States. hi6857@wayne.edu
Research Domain of This Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Radiol. Dec 28, 2024; 16(12): 708-711 Published online Dec 28, 2024. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v16.i12.708
Endoureteral ablation: A novel technique to occlude the ureter in patients with urinary tract fistulae
Samantha E Pfiffner, Arif Musa, Ira S Winer, Ali N Harb
Samantha E Pfiffner, Department of Radiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
Arif Musa, Department of Radiology, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
Ira S Winer, Department of Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
Ali N Harb, Department of Radiology, Interventional Radiology, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
Author contributions: Musa A, Winer IS and Harb AN contributed to the design and implementation of the research study, as well as editing the manuscript; Pfiffner SE performed the research and wrote the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Arif Musa is a recipient of grant funding from the Radiological Society of North American Research and Education Foundation and a contractor for WebMD/Medscape. Samantha Pfiffner is a recipient of the Wayne State University School of Medicine Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship. Ali Harb is a faculty mentor for Samantha Pfiffner through her receipt of the Wayne State University School of Medicine Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship. Ira Winer has nothing to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Samantha E Pfiffner, Department of Radiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 540 E Canfield St., Detroit, MI 48201, United States. hi6857@wayne.edu
Received: July 1, 2024 Revised: November 27, 2024 Accepted: December 6, 2024 Published online: December 28, 2024 Processing time: 179 Days and 8 Hours
Abstract
Urinary fistulae are abnormal connections between the urinary system and adjacent body parts, often resulting from factors such as infection, radiation, malignancy, protracted labor, gynecologic surgery, and gastrointestinal tract surgery. These fistulae can lead to persistent urinary incontinence, skin breakdown, social humiliation, psychosocial trauma, and severe infections. Current treatments include surgical repair, urinary diversion, and ureteral embolization, though these can have complications and are not always successful or feasible for all patients. This manuscript proposes a novel approach to correcting urinary fistulae: Endoureteral ablation using laser or radiofrequency ablation. These techniques, known for treating various conditions, show promise in causing fibrosis to occlude fistulae. Early success in animal and human models suggests endoureteral ablation as a potentially more effective, less invasive, and cost-effective alternative to current methods, especially for patients unfit for surgery. However, further studies are needed to establish its viability and effectiveness.
Core Tip: Endoureteral ablation using laser or radiofrequency ablation presents a promising new treatment for urinary fistulae, converting energy to heat to induce fibrosis and occlude fistulas. Early successes in both animal and human models indicate that this method could offer a less invasive, more effective, and cost-efficient alternative to current treatments, particularly benefiting patients unfit for surgery. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and establish endoureteral ablation as a viable clinical option.
