ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To describe a laparoscopic surgical technique for ureterocystoplasty in pediatric patients with the Mitrofanoff procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The procedure was performed in 4 patients (2 females and 2 males), 8-11 years old (average, 9.5 years), with a history of myelomeningocele and secondary neurogenic bladder. The patients were evaluated before the surgery with renal ultrasound, voiding cystourethrography, and renal scintigraphy. All subjects reported left hydronephrosis with severe dilatation of ureter and the collector system, left megaureter with grade V vesicoureteral reflux, and left functional exclusion, with right renal normal function. The urodynamic investigations revealed low bladder size and bladder leak point pressure (BLPP) above 40 cm H2O. The laparoscopic ureterocystoplasty augmentation procedure and the Mitrofanoff procedure with the proximal ureter were performed in these patients. Complications and outcomes were recorded and compared with those of the postoperative urodynamic test. RESULTS: The 2-4 years of follow-up of the patients and its urodynamic postoperative evaluation reported at least 75% of the capacity according to their age, compliance that varied between 15 to 20 mL/cm H2O, and a BLPP of less than 40 cm H2O. This last parameter is considered of low risk to damage the upper urinary tract. There was no leaking of urine by the stoma over the 4 hours of catheterization. CONCLUSIONS: Even though enterocystoplasty is the gold standard to increase the capacity of the neurogenic bladder, it has an elevated morbidity. So the use of a dilative ureter to increase bladder size and create a Mitrofanoff stoma in patients with neurogenic bladder, pop-off phenomenon, and renal ipsilateral atrophy could be considered by the laparoscopic approach.
