Allium covered stents beat Memokath for radiation ureteral strictures but carry unique fistula risk
Retrospective · World J Urol · 2026-11-09. Number 3 in the UrologyWatch Top 5 for November 9, 2026.
Among 149 patients (205 ureteral units) treated for radiation-induced ureteral strictures, Allium stents showed higher 12- and 36-month primary success (75.9% vs 49.3% and 33.2% vs 23.2%) and cumulative success (96.3% vs 91.5% at 12 months, 64.0% vs 28.2% at 36 months) compared with Memokath stents, with median primary success duration of 30 vs 12 months (log-rank P < 0.001); ureteral fistulas occurred in 11 patients, exclusively in the Allium group.
Why it matters: For refractory radiation strictures, covered self-expandable stents may offer meaningfully longer patency than thermo-expandable stents, though the fistula signal tied to larger caliber and tandem stenting warrants careful sizing and patient selection.
Limitation: This is a retrospective cohort with differing median follow-up between groups (25 vs 19 months), limiting causal inference.
Source: World J Urol · PubMed 42999957 · DOI 10.1007/s00345-026-06866-4
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