Delayed Ureteral Fistula After Laparoscopic Lateral Lymph Node Dissection for Rectal Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background: Ureteral injury is the most common urological complication of pelvic surgery. Lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) is a technically demanding procedure by laparoscopy after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), which may increase the risk of ureteral injury because the ureter and hypogastric fascia must be dissected from the vesicohypogastric fascia to preserve them. Case presentation: Here, we present a case of delayed ureteral leakage occurring in a 63-year-old male patient who underwent laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (APR) with right LLND after nCRT. Ureteral reimplantation (vesicoureteric anastomosis) was performed in this patient due to the failure of the placement of the double J stent. Conclusions: Our case shows that ureteral leakage may occur in the pelvic segment of the ureter in the patient who underwent laparoscopic LLND, especially received preoperative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy.