Incidence of Iatrogenic Ureteral Injury During Open and Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery: A Single Center Experience and Review of the Literature

Introduction: Iatrogenic ureteral injury is a rare but potentially devastating complication of colorectal surgery. We evaluated the incidence and management of iatrogenic ureteral injuries in colorectal surgery during the transition phase from open to laparoscopic surgery. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective single center study. All patients who underwent colorectal surgery between 2004 and 2014 were evaluated by collecting data of electronic patient charts. Both acute and elective procedures were included. Results: A total of 3302 colorectal procedures were performed in the study period. Of these, 2817 operations were performed open and 484 laparoscopically. A total of 23 iatrogenic ureteral injuries were identified, of which 5 were found during laparoscopic surgery. The cumulative incidence of ureteral injuries was 0.6% for open procedures and 1.0% for laparoscopic procedures. Conclusions: Ureteral injury is a rare complication of colorectal surgery. The incidence might rise with the increasing use of laparoscopy.