The ureter is the tube that drains urine from the kidney down to the bladder. In some conditions, a portion of the ureter can be narrowed, which is called a stricture.

This can be congenital, or the result of scarring from previous surgery, urinary stones, or other causes.

Risk factor:

Patients undergoing treatment such as a ureteroscopy for kidney, ureteric stone management or urinary diversion is at great risk for developing ureteral stricture.

Symptoms of ureteral stricture may include pain, loin lump, flank tenderness, and/or urinary tract infection.

It is diagnosed by IVU (intravenous urogram) or retrograde urethrogram to determine the site and degree of stricture.