Genitourinary interventions

Internal stenting of the left ureter Ken U. Ekechukwu, MD, MPH, FACP.

These images illustrate the benefit of ureteral stenting. They are of a male patient with benign prostatic hypertrophy, who recently underwent surgical resection of a colonic malignancy. His imaging workup uncovered left hydronephrosis caused by a retroperitonal mass encasing his distal left ureter. It was not possible stent the ureter from a urethral approach, so […]

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Bilateral insertion of nephroureteral stents after balloon dilation of malignant obstruction of the distal ureters. Ken U. Ekechukwu, MD, MPH, FACP.

The above images belong to a middle-aged woman with cervical cancer, who developed impaired renal function when the cancer  invaded and obstructed her distal ureters. Efforts by urologists to stent her ureters from below through her urethra failed, because the ureteral orifices were invisible. She was referred to the interventional radiology service for ante-grade intervention […]

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Retrieving a missing intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) with fluoroscopic guidance.| Ken U Ekechukwu, MD, MPH, FACP

Left image, top panel: Scout frontal radiograph of the pelvis showing the T-shaped contraceptive device before retrieval. Right image, top panel: The right arm of IUCD is snared and being pulled out Bottom image: The IUCD is pulled out and lies between the patient’s upper thighs. Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs) work best when positioned well in […]

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Percutaneous insertion of a nephrostomy catheter. Ken U. Ekechukwu, MD, MPH, FACP.

Percutaneous nephrostomy is the insertion of a drainage catheter through the skin into the collecting system of a kidney to relieve obstruction of its drainage system. Kidney cells produce urine which passes into the renal tubules and empties into the renal calyces. From the calyces, urine passes into the renal pelvis through the renal infundibula […]

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Transcervical recanalization of obstructed fallopian tubes. Ken U. Ekechukwu, MD, MPH, FACP

One of the causes of infertility in women is obstruction of the fallopian tubes, the two trumpet-like canals that extend from the corners of the uterine fundus towards the ovaries. They conduct eggs released by the ovaries towards the inner chamber of the uterus called the endometrial cavity and may become occluded by disease, typically […]

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