Symptoms like pain or difficulty while urinating are never a good sign. Especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and, even worse, blood in the urine. Some of these symptoms are commonly seen in cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs). However, other underlying conditions can also cause UTIs, and one such condition is a ureteric stricture. Ureteric strictures most commonly occur in men but can also be seen in women. There is a high risk of developing ureteric stricture for people undergoing treatments like urinary diversion, ureteroscopy for the kidney, ureteric stone management, radiation therapy for any form of cancer, or any surgery which involves the urinary tract or reproductive organs. 

If you think you are at risk of developing ureteric stricture according to the information mentioned above, read below. You will find out what ureteric stricture is, its causes, and most importantly, ureter stricture risk factors to be aware of the seriousness of this condition and to find out the proper ureteric stricture treatment for your condition.

What is Ureteric Stricture?

Ureteric stricture is defined as the condition in which either of the ureters (the duct that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder) is narrowed. This obstructs the body’s ability to pass urine or limits the flow of urine. It can also lead to blockage in the urinary tract. Now you can understand why it causes symptoms like pain and difficulty urinating even when you feel your bladder is full because the flow of urine is obstructed in this condition.

A buildup of scar tissue or inflammation around the ureter can result in ureteric stricture. However, scar tissue buildup or inflammation around the ureter does not develop naturally. An external injury or a previous surgery complication can cause such conditions. So, if you’ve had surgery involving the urinary tract or the reproductive organs and have similar symptoms, you should consult with a urologist to get yourself diagnosed.

Ureteric strictures can also develop in varying degrees of severity, from light and continued urine flow to acute obstructions that lead to no urine flow. With the help of your doctor, you can diagnose the condition and get appropriate treatment for it. But first, let’s learn more about the causes and risk factors of ureteric strictures.

Causes of Ureteric Strictures
 

• Idiopathic: Ureteric Stricture can be formed due to idiopathic reasons, which means the cause of the condition is unknown. In such instances, it is best to find out what is the site and severity of the ureteric stricture, and treatment should start as soon as possible to avoid further complications, as the cause behind the condition is unknown.
   
• Infection: Frequent urinary tract infections can be a symptom of ureteric stricture as well as it could be the cause behind ureteric stricture. Repeated UTIs can lead to scarring and inflammation in the ureter, which could lead to narrowing of the ureter and hence cause ureteric stricture. Suppose you’ve had frequent bouts of UTIs and have symptoms like pain while urinating, difficulty while urinating, or blood in the urine. In that case, you should definitely visit a urologist to get your condition diagnosed. 
   
• Injury: External trauma or injury is one of the common causes behind developing ureteric stricture. If you’ve had any kind of accident that has caused inflammation and scarring in the ureter, it can lead to ureteric stricture. Furthermore, sometimes ureteric stricture risk factor forms due to a surgical procedure that involves the reproductive organs or the urinary tract, which was initially conducted to help you heal and recover from an accident. 
   
• Surgery: Abdominal surgery, which involves the urinary tract and the reproductive organs, can be the cause behind rhetoric stricture. However, most of the time during the surgery, the operative injury can be noticed by the surgeon while being in the procedure and fixed immediately.  In that case, the chances of developing ureteric stricture reduce. But in those cases where the operative injury is missed, the patient may start showing symptoms of ureteric stricture later onward. 
   
• Radiation Therapy: Treatment for a tumor or cancer can lead to forming ureteric stricture. It is because the radiation process that is used to treat conditions like cancer can cause narrowing of the ureter, hence giving rise to ureteric stricture. 
   
• Congenital Abnormalities: Sometimes people are born with narrow ureters. In such instances, the chances of developing ureteric stricture are higher than the ones who are not born with narrow ureters. People with narrow ureters may start showing symptoms of ureteric stricture later in life when they’ve become adults. 

Risk Factors of Ureteric Stricture

Ureteric stricture can be treated with minimally invasive procedures like Percutaneous Ureterorenoplasty (PCN) and Ureterorenoscopy (URS). However, complications can arise owing to the severity of the stricture that is formed in the ureter. So, it is necessary to be aware and know the most common ureteric stricture risk factors to take preventative medical action against it immediately. 

Radiation-induced Ureteric Strictures

Ureteric strictures formed due to radiation can be very difficult to treat and manage as patients may require urinary diversion, where a surgical process is conducted to make a new path for the urine to leave the body. This gives rise to many other complications; hence, radiation-induced ureteric strictures can be very difficult to treat. It is suggested that you consult with your doctor after you’ve had radiation therapy if you have been experiencing symptoms of ureteric stricture. 

Complicated Ureteroscopy

Ureteroscopy is the procedure where a ureteroscope is used to have a clear look inside the ureters and the kidneys. A complicated ureteroscopy is the most common risk factor for forming ureteric stricture. This is because ureteroscopy is done to find and analyze kidney stones. However, if the stone's diameter somehow exceeds the diameter of the ureteral lumen( the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder, ureter), it could lead to kidney failure. Because of the stricture, the possibility of gradual loss of kidney function is further accelerated as the pathway of the ureter is blocked by the stone. 

After you have been diagnosed, your surgeon will discuss the risk factors and benefits with you before the procedure. The recovery time of the ureteral stricture treatment procedure varies from one patient to another. However, in most cases, patients are able to perform daily activities in a matter of a few days. 

Conclusion

The best way to get treated for ureteric stricture is to get treated early as soon as you start noticing the symptoms. Now that you know the causes and risk factors behind ureteric stricture, you can learn more on MASSH about the treatment options that will help you get better and recover quickly. You can visit us or book an appointment on the MASSH website for details about our highly trained surgeons and state-of-the-art facilities. We aim to provide you with high-quality treatment and a comfortable and stress-free experience, so visit MASSH today.