Current indications for urethral allium stent placement-review of the literature

Abstract

Urethral stricture disease is a pathology with a prevalence of 0.6% of the population The gold standard established for its management is urethroplasty with variable success rates of up to 90% to 95%. The urethral stent arose in 1988 manufactured with stainless steel mesh. The results obtained showed the severe complications of its implantation. In 2008, the Allium stent was produced in Israel with different properties such as elasticity and flexibility. It can be used in different entities such as bulbar urethra strictures, prostatic hyperplasia and stenosis of the urethrovesical junction. Recently this Stent is being marketed in Colombia, which is why we consider important to review the literature, complications and real indications and thus try to avoid the inappropriate use of these devices. We conducted a literature review in PubMed and ClinicalKey including the terms Stent, Allium and Urethral, including articles in English and Spanish. We found 4 retrospective articles in heterogeneous populations with success rates lower than reconstructive surgery. No comparative studies were found. Current indications to place a stent urethral could be patients in whom urethroplasty cannot be performed, or in patients in which endoscopic management of the posterior urethra has not been effective. It can also be an alternative for patients with permanent bladder catheter due to prostatic hyperplasia not suitable for surgery.