Ces Urol 2009, 13(3):211-216 | DOI: 10.48095/cccu2009015

Our first experiences with thermo- expandable shape-memory Memokath stents

David Miklánek, Jan Doležel, Ivo Čapák, Martin Šustr, Daniel Macík

Oddělení urologické onkologie, Masarykův onkologický ústav Brno

The objective of this article is to present our first experiences with insertion and follow up of nickel-titanium shape memory alloy stents Memokath (Engineers and Doctors, Denmark) in patients with long-term obstruction of urinary tract.
We inserted 4 nickel-titanium shape memory Memokath stents from May to December 2006. All patients were men (mean age 69,5 years, range 47-87 years). The stents were inserted in urethral stricture in 3 cases (2 patients for BPH, 1 patient for stricture of bulbar urethra), last Memokath stent was inserted in a patient with ureteral stricture after radiotherapy for GIT tumour. The pacients were followed up for 8 months on the average (range 2-24 months).
Decompression of urinary tract have achieved in all pacients. Memokath stent had to be removed in 2 cases: 1× for encrustation (from bulbar urethra, 5 months after insertion), 1× for spontaneous migration of stent (from ureter, 2 months after insertion). There was no problem in pacients with prostate Memokath stents. 1 pacient died due to cardial decompensation 9 months after insertion prostate Memokath stent. 1 patient has had no complication with prostate Memokath stent so far (24 months).
Memokath stents has not been inserted in the Czech Republic before. Series of our patients is too small to draw reliable conclusions. We will indicate the insertion of Memokath stents in selected polymorbid or oncology patients in future too.

Keywords: Memokath stent, nickel-titanium shape memory, stricture

Received: December 17, 2008; Accepted: May 29, 2009; Published: June 1, 2009