Luis H. Braga

IMPACT OF PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS ON THE MORBIDITY ASSOCIATED WITH URETEROCELE MANAGEMENT

PURPOSEnWe postulated that prenatal detection of ureteroceles has a positive impact on the natural history and clinical outcome of ureteroceles in duplex system.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnBetween 1992 and 2000, 95 children underwent surgery for a ureterocele in a duplex system. We evaluated the impact of prenatal diagnosis in 40 cases versus postnatal diagnosis in 55 on morbidity, as measured by postoperative urinary tract infection and secondary procedures, while controlling for ureterocele type and the initial surgical approach.nnnRESULTSnMean followup in the 2 groups was 3.9 years. Preoperatively the reflux rate was 51% in the prenatal and 66% in the postnatal groups. Preoperatively urinary tract infections were less common in the prenatal group (12% versus 84%). Mean age at initial intervention in prenatally and postnatally diagnosed patients was 6 and 31 months, respectively. Postoperatively the urinary tract infection rate was double in postnatally diagnosed patients. Overall postoperatively reflux was similar in the 2 groups and grades III to V reflux with urinary tract infection accounted for 14 of the 21 secondary bladder procedures (67%). After initial endoscopic decompression none of the prenatally diagnosed patients with intravesical ureteroceles required reoperation, whereas 6 (50%) with extravesical ureteroceles required reoperation. All 10 prenatally diagnosed extravesical ureteroceles treated with partial nephrectomy were cured. Overall the secondary procedure rate in the postnatal group was higher than in the prenatal group (46% versus 20%, p = 0.02). Also, there was a difference in the reoperation rate in the endoscopic decompression group according to mode of presentation (p = 0.03) and a difference when comparing endoscopic treatment with partial nephrectomy in all patients (p = 0.02).nnnCONCLUSIONSnPrenatal diagnosis decreases morbidity and potential adverse outcomes related to infection. Overall prenatal diagnosis is associated with a decreased rate of secondary procedures independent of the type of ureterocele. Prenatally diagnosed intravesical ureteroceles may be cured by endoscopic incision alone but for extravesical ureteroceles partial nephrectomy appears to be more definitive.

Outcome Analysis and Cost Comparison Between Externalized Pyeloureteral and Standard Stents in 470 Consecutive Open Pyeloplasties

PURPOSEnDespite the widespread use of ureteral stents for pyeloplasty by pediatric urologists there is ongoing controversy regarding the most advantageous type of transanastomotic drainage. We compared patients who underwent placement of an externalized pyeloureteral Salle intraoperative pyeloplasty stent (Cook Urological, Spencer, Indiana) to those who had a standard Double-J ureteral stent placed to assess the benefits, drawbacks and costs of each modality during open pyeloplasty.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnOur study sample comprised 470 age matched children who underwent primary open pyeloplasty in an 11-year period. A total of 242 patients (51.5%) underwent Double-J ureteral stent insertion and 228 (48.5%) underwent placement of a Salle intraoperative pyeloplasty stent at surgery. Operative time, hospital stay, overall complication and success rates, type of complications and hospital costs were compared between the 2 groups.nnnRESULTSnMedian age was 18 months and median followup was 39 months. Mean hospital stay was 3.0 and 3.1 days in children with a Double-J ureteral and a Salle intraoperative pyeloplasty stent, respectively (p = 0.7). The overall complication rate was 9.9% (24 of 242 patients) for the Double-J ureteral stent vs 8.3% (19 of 228) for the Salle intraoperative pyeloplasty stent (p = 0.6). Complications in patients with a Double-J ureteral stent consisted of urinoma in 3, return visits due to bladder spasms in 7 or catheter obstruction in 6 and readmission due to pyelonephritis in 5. Complications in children with a Salle intraoperative pyeloplasty stent involved urinoma in 1, prolonged drainage through the Penrose drain in 5 and readmission due to pyelonephritis in 1. Recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction developed in 12 cases per group. The success rate was 95.0% (230 of 242 cases) and 94.7% (216 of 228) for the Double-J ureteral and the Salle intraoperative pyeloplasty stent, respectively (p = 0.2). Hospital charges, including the surgical procedure, postoperative hospitalization and cystoscopy or a clinical visit for catheter removal, in patients with a Double-J ureteral and a Salle intraoperative pyeloplasty stent were

Learning From the Learning Curve: Factors Associated With Successful Endoscopic Correction of Vesicoureteral Reflux Using Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer

9,825 and

Ventral Penile Lengthening Versus Dorsal Plication for Severe Ventral Curvature in Children With Proximal Hypospadias

9,260, respectively.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe 2 ureteral stents are equivalent in regard to overall complication and success rates after pyeloplasty. However, Salle intraoperative pyeloplasty stent insertion was associated with a Canadian

Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty for distal hypospadias: A literature review.

565 cost decrease per patient and most importantly the preclusion of a second general anesthesia for catheter removal.

Is Long-Term Bladder Deterioration Inevitable Following Successful Isolated Bladder Outlet Procedures in Children With Neuropathic Bladder Dysfunction?

PURPOSEnConflicting reports exist regarding the parameters guiding successful correction of vesicoureteral reflux using dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer. We performed logistic regression analysis to evaluate the effect of injected volume while adjusting for other factors potentially associated with success following dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer injection.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnBetween July 2003 and June 2006, 126 consecutive patients (34 boys and 92 girls) with a mean +/- SD age of 6.5 +/- 3.7 years with primary vesicoureteral reflux (196 refluxing ureters) underwent injection for febrile urinary tract infections. Success was defined as complete reflux resolution. Age, gender, laterality, preoperative vesicoureteral reflux grade, surgeon experience, dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer volume, time to surgery from initial presentation and preoperative treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms were analyzed.nnnRESULTSnVesicoureteral reflux grade was I to V in 7 (3.5%), 53 (27%), 91 (46.4%), 30 (15.3%) and 15 renal units (7.6%), respectively. The success rate after 1 injection was 50% by patient and 59.2% by ureter. Mean injected volume was 0.9 +/- 0.27 ml in those who had a successful injection vs 0.67 +/- 0.24 ml in those in whom injection failed (p <0.001). The success rate after 1 injection was 78.9% using 0.8 ml or greater dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer compared to 31.7% with less than 0.8 ml. Multivariate analysis confirmed that higher dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer volume (p = 0.001), lower preoperative grade (p = 0.013), surgeon experience (p = 0.025) and treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (p = 0.009) were associated with successful correction of vesicoureteral reflux.nnnCONCLUSIONSnOur analysis strengthens the previously reported association of surgeon experience and vesicoureteral reflux grade with successful endoscopic vesicoureteral reflux correction. The data also revealed an association between injected volume and vesicoureteral reflux correction even while controlling for other variables, highlighting its importance as a true success modifier.

Risk Factors for Recurrent Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction After Open Pyeloplasty in a Large Pediatric Cohort

PURPOSEnThe 2 main approaches to correct severe ventral curvature are dorsal plication of the corpora and ventral corporeal lengthening by tunica albuginea patching. Controversy persists since neither technique has been proved to be superior to the other with respect to initial or long-term outcome. However, to our knowledge a direct comparison of outcome of these 2 procedures has not been previously reported.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnA retrospective review of the records of 100 consecutive patients who underwent repair of penoscrotal or more proximal defects from 1996 to 2004 was performed. Children were divided into 2 groups, including group 1-32 who underwent a ventral penile lengthening procedure and group 2-68 who underwent dorsal plication. Meatal location, preoperative testosterone stimulation, severe ventral curvature (greater than 45 degrees) at the beginning of operation and after degloving, proximal ventral dissection, urethral plate transection and recurrent ventral curvature were compared between the 2 groups.nnnRESULTSnMean age was 17 months (range 9 to 56) in patients with ventral penile lengthening and 17.8 months (range 10 to 58) in patients with dorsal plication. Mean followup was 65 (range 29 to 120) and 62 months (range 30 to 116), respectively. Of the 32 group 1 children 30 (93.7%) had penoscrotal or more proximal hypospadias vs 57 of the 68 (83.8%) in group 2. Three of the 32 children who underwent ventral penile lengthening had recurrent ventral curvature vs 19 of the 68 who underwent dorsal plication (9.4% vs 27.9%, p = 0.03). On multivariate analysis dorsal plication remained significantly associated with recurrent ventral curvature independently of the other factors (OR 4.56, 95% CI 1.14-18.28, p = 0.03).nnnCONCLUSIONSnDorsal plication was more often associated with recurrent ventral curvature compared to ventral penile lengthening on univariate and multivariate analysis. Future studies adjusting for proximal ventral dissection and urethral plate transection are necessary to further elucidate the role of each technique in the correction of severe ventral curvature in children with proximal hypospadias.

Single-Institutional Study on Role of Ureteroscopy and Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery in Treatment of Pediatric Renal Calculi

The tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty or Snodgrass procedure has gained worldwide acceptance for distal hypospadias repair due to its low complication rate, good cosmetic result, and technical simplicity. As a result, several articles have been published concerning various aspects and subtle variations of this procedure. The aim of this review is to critically and systematically analyze the published complication rates of TIP repair for distal hypospadias in children. We also reviewed the surgical modifications that have been introduced to the original technique and discussed the potential impact on the final outcome of the Snodgrass procedure.

Single Center Experience With Application of the ALARA Concept to Serial Imaging Studies After Blunt Renal Trauma in Children—Is Ultrasound Enough?

PURPOSEnBladder decompensation is well described following artificial urinary sphincter implantation in neurogenic bladders. We evaluated the long-term results of various bladder outlet procedures in a subset of patients with neurogenic bladder and isolated outlet deficiency.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnWe retrospectively reviewed the charts of 15 consecutive patients who underwent bladder outlet procedures during a 10-year period for urinary incontinence associated with neuropathic bladder dysfunction. Postoperative success was defined as a dry interval of at least 4 hours.nnnRESULTSnPreoperative evaluation showed a smooth bladder in 11 patients with vesicoureteral reflux and hydronephrosis in 2. Using the minimal acceptable capacity for age, mean percent expected bladder capacity for age was 89% +/- 25%, capacity below 20 cm H(2)O was 81% and capacity below 30 cm H(2)O was 89%. Mean preoperative expected capacity for age was 60% +/- 18%. Mean postoperative followup was 11.2 years. Postoperatively, 11 patients achieved initial dryness but 9 subsequently presented with recurrent incontinence and 2 presented with upper tract deterioration. Four cases failed the initial bladder outlet procedure. Salvage procedures included augmentation cystoplasty in all 15 patients, combined with repeat bladder outlet procedure in 4 and bladder neck closure in 2. Mean time to augmentation cystoplasty was 39.6 +/- 28 months.nnnCONCLUSIONSnIsolated bladder outlet procedures for neurogenic incontinence portend a poor long-term outcome, requiring augmentation cystoplasty despite the use of anticholinergic medications and strict followup. Preoperative urodynamic evaluation does not predict the need or timing from the initial bladder outlet procedure for future augmentation cystoplasty.

Severe bladder trabeculation obviates the need for bladder outlet procedures during augmentation cystoplasty in incontinent patients with neurogenic bladder

PURPOSEnRecurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction after open pyeloplasty is a serious complication for which treatment remains challenging. We identified risk factors for persistent obstruction.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnWe retrospectively reviewed the charts of 401 children who underwent open dismembered pyeloplasty between 1997 and 2005. Of these children 21 (5.2%) experienced recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Age, prenatal diagnosis, hydronephrosis grade, differential renal function, incision location (flank or dorsal lumbotomy), retrograde pyelography and stent placement were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for pyeloplasty failure.nnnRESULTSnMedian age at surgery was 21 months and median followup was 36 months. Of the 401 patients dorsal lumbotomy was performed in 171 (42.6%) and a flank incision was used in 230 (57.4%). Retrograde pyelography was done in 195 patients (48.6%) and stents were used in 352 (87%). Age, prenatal diagnosis, degree of hydronephrosis, differential renal function and stent placement did not have an impact on pyeloplasty outcome on univariate analysis. Recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction developed in 14 of 171 patients who had originally undergone dorsal lumbotomy vs 7 of 230 who had originally undergone a flank incision (8.1% vs 3.1%, p = 0.02) as well as in 17 of 206 who did not undergo initial retrograde pyelography vs 4 of 195 who did (8.3% vs 2.1%, p = 0.005). On multivariate analysis incision type and lack of retrograde pyelography showed significant association with pyeloplasty failure despite adjustment for other risk factors (p <0.05, OR 3.2 and 4.4, respectively).nnnCONCLUSIONSnIn this series lack of retrograde pyelography and dorsal lumbotomy were independently associated with a higher risk of recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction. While retrograde pyelography or a flank approach could not be directly shown to prevent recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction, electing to perform retrograde pyelography may be a proxy for better perioperative planning, including the choice of incision, and it may ultimately increase the chances of successful pyeloplasty.