Abstract
Purpose: Laser endoureterotomy is a common minimally invasive treatment of ureteral strictures. However, data evaluating the durability of this technique are limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed treatment success rates after laser endoureterotomy for managing benign ureteral strictures. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search identified studies published from January 2000 to December 2023 reporting outcomes of laser endoureterotomy for benign ureteral strictures. Random-effects meta-analysis models calculated treatment success rates at 3 months, 6 months, and annually thereafter until estimates became unreliable (standard error > 10%). Results: Nine studies comprising 308 patients (310 strictures) met eligibility criteria. The methodological quality of the studies was rated as good in 8 studies and fair in 1 study. Strictures were most commonly attributable to stone disease or previous surgery, predominantly located in the proximal (38%) or distal (35%) ureter, with a median length of 10 mm. Holmium laser was used in 98% of cases. Intraoperative complication rates were low (0.9%). The treatment success rate was 84% at 3 months, 74% at 1 year, 70% at 2 years, and 68% at 3 years. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were not overly influenced by any single study, and modest heterogeneity was observed among studies. Conclusions: Minimally invasive laser endoureterotomy is an effective and durable treatment for short benign ureteral strictures, making it a viable alternative to reconstructive surgery.
Published Version
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