[Is the ureteral length associated with the patient's size?].

Objective: To assess the relation between the ureteral length and the patients' size.

Patients And Method: Prospective study made between September 2012 and May 2014, on 87 patients with 42 men and 45 women, in whom the ureteral measure was performed during the various procedures that require the use of a pigtail stent. The average age of the population was 53 years old (±15.9) with an average height of 168.3cm (±8.4). This has been achieved through ureteral catheter combining fluoroscopy and endoscopy.

Results: The ureteral average length was 23.5cm (±2.33). The ureteral average length was 23.8cm (±2.18) for man and 23.2cm (±2.44) for women. In this population, there were a positive correlation between the size of the patients and the length of the ureters (r=0.75; P=0.01). However, this correlation was not found in all subgroups, particularly among women (r=0.16; P=0.30) and on the right side of men (r=0.34; P=0.12). This correlation was still true for the left side in the men's group (r=0.50; P=0.02).

Conclusion: In this study, there is a positive correlation between the patients' size and the ureteral length. But this correlation is not found in some subgroups. It is better to perform in vivo the ureteral measurement to have the precise length in order to set up a pigtail stent adapted to the patient.

Level Of Evidence: 3.