Frontiers in post-radiation urologic reconstruction; robotic surgery and near-infrared fluorescence imaging: A Narrative Review

Radiation therapy is an important treatment option for management of pelvic organ malignancies including urologic, gynecologic, and gastrointestinal cancers (1). Radiation toxicity results from DNA and cellular damage of healthy tissue in the radiation field and can ultimately lead to tissue necrosis or fibrosis. Radiation therapy of abdominal and pelvic malignancies can cause delayed adverse functional and anatomical effects that involve portions of the urinary tract, such as the ureters, bladder, and posterior urethra. These adverse effects are believed to result from damage to urinary tract epithelium and microvasculature (2,3). Ureteral stricture, contracted bladder, rectourethral fistula, bladder neck contracture, and urethral stricture disease are among the long-term toxicities Review Article