Introduction: Acquired ureteral stricture is an uncommon but clinically relevant complication, mainly associated with long-standing urolithiasis, chronic inflammatory processes, and repeated endourological procedures. Case presentation: We present the case of a 48-year-old woman with left distal ureteral stricture secondary to urolithiasis and repeated endourological procedures, with a complicated clinical course and progressive renal functional impairment. Despite stepwise management including balloon dilations, endoscopic incision, prolonged urinary diversion, and ultimately ureteral reimplantation with a psoas hitch, the patient developed restenosis of the ureteral neomeatus. Due to persistent obstruction, endoscopic dilation with a paclitaxel-coated balloon (Optilume®) was performed. Subsequent imaging demonstrated partial improvement in ureteral drainage and relative functional improvement of the left kidney. Conclusion: This case highlights the potential complementary role of drug-coated balloons in complex and refractory benign ureteral strictures, although the currently available evidence remains limited.
Rodriguez-Parras et al. (Wed,) studied this question.