Endoscopic balloon dilation of primary obstructive megaureter: is fluoroscopic guidance necessary?

OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term effectiveness, complications, and outcomes of primary obstructive megaureter (POM) treated by endoscopic balloon dilation under fluoroscopic guidance versus not using radioscopy during the procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A comparative study between POM cases treated at our institution by endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) under fluoroscopic guidance (FG) (n = 43) vs no fluoroscopic guidance (NFG) (n = 48) between the years 2004 and 2018 was conducted. The procedure in FG consisted of performing a retrograde pyelography before dilation. Then, a guidewire is introduced to the renal pelvis, and the dilation of the vesicoureteral junction is performed using high-pressure balloon catheters under fluoroscopic vision. Finally, a double-J stent is placed between the renal pelvis and bladder. The procedure in NFG was performed exclusively under cystoscopic vision without radiological exposure. Complications, outcomes, and success rates were analyzed using Spearman's correlation test. Mean follow-up was 12.5 ± 2.2 years in FG and 6.4 ± 1.3 years in NFG. RESULTS: MAG-3 showed significant differences in renal drainage before and after endoscopic treatment in both groups (p < 0.001 T-test). Statistical analysis did not reveal differences between groups in initial technical failure (r: - 0.035, p = 0.74), early postoperative complications (r: - 0.029, p = 0.79), secondary VUR (r: 0.033, p = 0.76), re-stenosis (r: 0.022, p = 0.84), long-term ureteral reimplantation (r: 0.065, p = 0.55), and final outcome (r: - 0.054, p = 0.61). The endoscopic approach of POM had a long-term success rate of 86.5% in FG VS 89.6% in NFG. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic balloon dilation of POM can be done with no radiation exposure with similar results, effectiveness, and outcomes.

The influence of pelvicalyceal system anatomy on minimally invasive treatments of patients with renal calculi.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Nephrolithiasis has a multifactorial etiology, wherein, besides metabolic factors, the anatomy of the pelvicalyceal system might play a role. Using 3D-reconstructions of CT-urography (CT-U), we studied the morphometric properties of pelvicalyceal anatomy affecting kidney stone formation and compared those with existing literature on their effect on minimally invasive treatment techniques for renal calculi. METHODS: CT-U's were made between 01-01-2017 and 30-09-2018. Patients were chronologically included in two groups: a nephrolithiasis group when ≥ 1 calculus was present on the CT-U and a control group of patients with both the absence of calculi on the CT-U and no medical history of urolithiasis. Patients with a medical history of diseases leading to higher risks on urolithiasis were excluded. In the nephrolithiasis group affected kidneys were measured. In the control group, left and right kidneys were alternately measured. RESULTS: Twenty kidneys were measured in both groups. Mean calyceopelvic tract width was significantly larger in the lower segments of affected kidneys (3.9 vs. 2.7 mm). No significant differences between the groups were found in number of calyces, infundibular length, infundibular width, calyceopelvic angle, upper-lower angle and diameters of the pelvis. Transversal calyceal orientation in hours was significantly smaller in the upper and lower segments of the nephrolithiasis group (7.69 vs. 8.52 and 8.08 vs. 9.09 h), corresponding with more dorsally located calyces in stone-forming kidneys. CONCLUSION: Pelvicalyceal anatomy differs between stone-forming and non-stone-forming kidneys. Understanding the pelvicalyceal system and etiology of stone formation can improve development of endourological techniques.

Endourological treatment of symptomatic ureteral stump posnephrectomy. / Tratamiento endourológico del muñón ureteral sintomático posnefrectomía.

INTRODUCTION: ureteral stump syndrome is defined as a recurrent urinary infection, low abdominal pain and haematuria in patients with a history of nephrectomy. Its incidence is low and the symptoms are non-specific. The aim of our paper was to present our results with endoscopic treatment of symptomatic ureteral remnants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients with ureteral remnant syndrome after nephrectomy treated in our centre between 2004 and 2015. We present a series of 10 patients. The patients were treated endoscopically with electrofulguration of the ureter and edges of the affected meatus, with subsequent injection of filler material into the suburetheral submucosa to aid in the coaptation of the ureteral remnant walls. RESULTS: The mean age at treatment was 2 years. The right ureteral remnant was treated in 6 patients and the left in 4. Seven meatuses were ectopic and 3 orthotopic. Follow-up was 8 years. After endoscopic treatment only 2patients relapsed. CONCLUSION: Endourological treatment of ureteral stump syndrome is a simple, safe, rapid and effective option that can be performed as an outpatient, for orthotopic and ectopic stumps. It does not compromise subsequent open resection of the ureteral remnant if required, and therefore we believe that it should be considered a valid alternative for the initial treatment of this disorder.

Management of urinary tract obstruction in patients with kidney transplantation / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To investigate the treatment of urinary tract obstruction after kidney transplantation, and to introduce the novel ‘antegrade percutaneous urinary tract throughout guidance technique’ with guide wire in selected patients. Methods 43 cases of renal transplantation patients due to urinary tract obstruction (ureteral stenosis and hydronephrosis in 24 cases, urinary calculi with or not ureteral stenosis in 19 cases) received endourological treatment. Retrograde pathway was tried firstly, if failed, antegrade pathway was adopted with‘antegrade percutaneous urinary tract throughout guidance technique’, 18 Fr percutaneous tract was established if necessary, endoscopy was needed in antegrade or combine with retrograde pathway. Results Of the 43 patients, 9 (20.9 %) patients were managed directly through the retrograde ureteroscopy, 28 (65.1 %) patients were managed with anterograde percutaneous technique in 18 Fr tract, 6 (14.0 %) patients were treated with ‘antegrade percutaneous urinary tract throughout guidance technique’. Operation time was (72.0 ± 16.0) (45 ~ 95) minutes. Postoperative stone clearance rate of 89.5 % (17/19). Of 32 cases with ureteral stricture, 6 (6/32, 18.8 %) cases were cured after one time of dilation and JJ stent indwelling for 2 months, 18 (56.3%) cases with stable hydronephrosis after 2-3 times of dilation and JJ stent indwelling, 5 cases (15.6 %) needed long-term repeated stent indwelling for drainage, 3 (9.4%) cases required nephrostomy tube drainage. Conclusion Minimally invasive treatment of urinary tract obstruction after renal transplantation is effective. Antegrade percutaneous urinary tract throughout guidance technique provided a powerful guarantee for retrograde operation and avoided the bleeding risk following percutaneous renal surgery, when combined with flexible ureteroscopy, urinary calculi in patients with kidney transplantation can be effectively managed with little trauma.

Tratamiento endoscópico de estenosis ureteral en paciente con trasplante renal / Endoscopic management of ureteral stenosis in a transplanted kidney

Las complicaciones post trasplante han disminuido gracias a la mejor inmunosupresión y las técnicas quirúrgicas más desarrolladas, pese a ello, la estenosis de la unión ureterovesical se mantiene como una frecuente causa de morbilidad (2 por ciento al 10 por ciento), representando el 70 por ciento de las complicaciones urológicas. El tratamiento mínimamente invasivo endourológico es una opción válida con muy buenos resultados e índices bajos de complicaciones. Presentamos un caso clínico de estenosis ureteral en un paciente trasplantado y describimos su resolución a través de una técnica endourológica anterógrada.

Secondary to a better immunosuppression and surgical techniques post-transplant complications have decreased, however the ureterovesical junction stricture remains a frequent cause of morbidity (2 to 10 percent), representing the 70 percent of urologic complications. The minimally invasive endourological treatment is an alternative treatment with very good results and low complications rates. We present a case of neovesical junction stricture in a transplant patient and describe its resolution through an anterógrada endourological technique.