Evaluating Neonates With Antenatal Hyderonephrosis Using a Standard Protocol: An Audit of Hospital Records

Aims: To audit the extent of evaluation of neonates with antenatal hydronephrosis. Methods:Records of all neonates with antenatal hydronephrosis between January 2013 andDecember 2016 were audited to look for patient factors and investigation results. Results:290 records were evaluated, 93 (32%) of which had abnormalities detected on voidingcystourethrogram. In the presence of hydroureter, 65% had an abnormality while in theabsence only 11% were abnormal. In the presence of pelvis ?20 mm, 93% had abnormaldiuretic renogram, while with pelvis <20 mm, only 1.5% were abnormal (P=0.001). Numbersneeded to harm calculation revealed 1 in 2 patients would receive an unnecessary voidingcystourethrogram in the absence of hydroureter, and unnecessary diuretic renogram whenpelvis <20 mm. Conclusions: While evaluating neonates with antenatal hydronephrosisinvasive tests can be limited, if evaluation is guided by ultrasonographic criteria.

Delayed redo pyeloplasty fails to recover lost renal function after failed pyeloplasty: Early sonographic changes that correlate with a loss of differential renal function

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in differential renal function (DRF), as a functional outcome, in children who underwent redo pyeloplasty for management of failed pyeloplasty and to examine the factors that affect functional outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2002 and November 2010, a total of 18 patients who underwent redo pyeloplasty for persistent ureteropelvic junction obstruction after failed pyeloplasty were enrolled in this study. We assessed perioperative factors and evaluated changes in renal cortical thickness (RCT), renal function, and hydronephrosis by use of serial ultrasound and diuretic renography. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 44.83+/-28.86 months. After redo pyeloplasty, prevention of further functional deterioration was observed in only 12 of the 18 patients. After dividing the patients according to this observation, we discovered significant differences in both change in DRF (dDRF) and change in RCT (dRCT) (difference between before and after initial pyeloplasty) between the two groups (p<0.001). Additionally, we noted a significant positive correlation between dRCT and dDRF. All patients showed improvements in hydronephrosis grade and relief of symptoms compared with before redo pyeloplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Redo pyeloplasty should be considered in cases of failed pyeloplasty to preserve renal function and obtain relief from symptoms. If patients show severe deterioration of DRF or a decrease in RCT after initial pyeloplasty, preservation of DRF in these patients after redo pyeloplasty could be difficult. Therefore, redo pyeloplasty should be performed before severe deterioration of DRF or decrease in RCT.

Diagnostic Criteria for Stomal Obstruction of Tubeless Cutaneous Ureterostomy by Use of 99mTc-Mercaptoacetyltriglycine Diuretic Renography

PURPOSE: To evaluate 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine diuretic renograms for diagnosing stomal obstruction in tubeless cutaneous ureterostomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cutaneous ureterostomy was performed in 29 patients (56 renal units) with a minimum follow-up period of 12 months. Stomal obstruction was evaluated with 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine diuretic renography 3 months after surgery. Regions of interest were drawn that completely encircled and snugly fit the kidney, renal pelvis, and ureter. The data analyses were performed with half-times to tracer clearance following furosemide (0.5 mg/kg) administration. RESULTS: The mean half-times to tracer clearance were 6.90+/-6.30, 5.25+/-4.29, and 8.75+/-7.63 minutes in the total, ipsilateral, and contralateral kidneys, respectively, in side relationships between the ureter and the stoma. There were significant differences between the ipsilateral and contralateral kidneys in the mean half-time to tracer clearance (p=0.038). Forty-eight renal units (85.7%) had a half-time to tracer clearance of less than 15 minutes, and all 48 renal units had no hydronephrosis. On the other hand, 5 renal units (8.9%) had a half-time to tracer clearance of more than 20 minutes, and these 5 renal units required the insertion of stent catheters or became atrophic. CONCLUSIONS: 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine diuretic renography was very useful for diagnosing stomal obstruction of tubeless cutaneous ureterostomy. The upper limit of the half-time to tracer clearance for unobstructed systems was 15 minutes, which allowed for the confident exclusion of stomal obstruction in tubeless cutaneous ureterostomy.

Postoperative Outcome of the Upper Pole Kidney with a Complete Ureteral Duplication and Complicated with Ureterocele or Ectopic Ureter after Pyeloureterostomy / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: Non conservative treatment such as heminephrectomy is considered the treatment of choice when the upper pole kidney in children with a complete ureteral duplication complicated with ureterocele or ectopic ureter is nonfunctional. The postoperative outcome of the upper pole kidney with a complete ureteral duplication after pyeloureterostomy was evaluated, and we focused on those children with undetected functions on the upper pole kidney before surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 2002 and March 2006, we evaluated 28 children, 10 boys and 18 girls, who had undergone pyeloureterostomy for a complete ureteral duplication that was complicated with ureterocele or ectoplic ureter. Their mean age was 12.3 months. Ultrasound, 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) scanning and voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) were performed preoperatively. The clinical courses were followed up with ultrasound at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, and DMSA scanning was done between 6 and 12 months after surgery. The median follow-up period was 21.5 months. RESULTS: Among the 12 children with cortical thinning seen on ultrasound, 10 showed thickening of the renal cortex within 12 months. All 16 children with Grade III or less hydronephrosis on the upper pole kidney were downgraded, and 10 out of them showed complete resolution or Grade I hydronephrosis within 6 months. 4 cases with no visible photon uptake at the upper pole kidney preoperatively showed hot uptakes at the defective spot between 6 to 12 months after pyeloureterostomy. 5 out of 28 children had urinary tract infection(UTI) within 3 months after surgery; however, this was easily controlled with oral antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: The function of the upper pole kidney is recovered within 1 year after pyeloureterostomy in most of the cases with a complete ureteral duplication, regardless of the severity of hydronephrosis at the upper pole kidney. Pyeloureterostomy can be an alternative treatment modality for treating a complete ureteral duplication that's complicated with ureterocele or ectopic ureter due to pyeloureterostomy's lower morbidity compared to non-conservative surgery such as heminephrecotmy.

The Clinical Effectiveness of Serial Radioisotope Renography in Evaluation of Renal Function Changes in Spinal Cord Injured Patients

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of our study were to determine the effect of serial radioisotope renography on the diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic intervention of spinal cord injured patients and to determine the characteristics of renographic findings in spinal cord injured patients. METHOD: Three hundred and two spinal cord injured patients were examined with radioisotope renography using Technetium-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine. Forty-two of 302 patients were examined in serial studies. Intravenous pyelogram, urodynamic study, 24-hour creatinine clearance, and voiding cystourethrogram were also performed. Radioisotope renography was correlated with diagnostic procedures and therapeutic interventions. Therapeutic interventions included changes in medication and bladder management. RESULTS: The renal functions in the left kidney were better than the functions in the right kidney after spinal cord injury (p<0.01). If neurogenic bladders were managed properly, renal functions improved after the shock stage of injury (p<0.05). Patients with significant improvement in their renal function underwent changes in proper medication and methods of bladder management (p<0.05). Renal function changes were correlated with the type of neurogenic bladder and maximal detrusor pressure (p<0.05). No significant renal function changes were found between the groups according to the completeness of injury and gender. CONCLUSION: Radioisotope renography is a good initial indicator to show problems that required management changes. Serial radioisotope renographic findings give valuable informations about the urinary tract in spinal cord injured patients.

The Evaluation of Renal Function in Spinal Cord Injury Patients Using Radioisotope Renography

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to determine the renal function by radioisotope renography and to compare the findings of radioisotope renography in the spinal cord injured patients to the clinical presentations and findings of other conventional urologic examinations. METHOD: Intravenous pyelogram(IVP), voiding cystourethrogram(VCUG) and urodynamic study were performed in twenty-five spinal cord injured patients along with serum BUN/Creatinine levels and 24 hour creatinine clearance tests. Technetium-99 m mercaptoacetyltriglycine was used for the radioisotope renography. RESULTS: One abnormal radioisotope renography finding was noted among 22 normal findings by IVP and VCUG studies, while no abnormal finding by IVP and VCUG studies was noted among the subjects with a normal radioisotope renography. Effective renal plasma flow(ERPF) was significantly lower in patients with lower creatinine clearance. ERPF, cortical retention and creatinine clearance values for hyperreflexic bladders were significantly different from areflexic bladders. ERPF was significantly higher in a clean intermittent catheterization group than in a percussion and Cred method group for the hyperreflexic bladders. CONCLUSION: The study proves that the radioisotope renography is a sensitive and valuable study to evaluate the renal dysfunction in the spinal cord injured patients.