[Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in children]

In the five-year period 1990-95, 102 patients, 78 girls and 24 boys, aged ten weeks to 14 years were treated for grade III-V vesicoureteral reflux by the same surgeon using subureteric teflon injection--the STING procedure. Both primary, secondary and complex reflux were included. The reflux had disappeared in 90 of 133 refluxing ureters, the grade of reflux had diminished in 17 and were unchanged in 26 at the control three months after treatment. After re-STING in 22 reflux ureters, reflux disappeared in 13, was reduced in six and unchanged in three. Reappearance of low grade reflux was seen in eight of 88 ureters between the three months and one year control, but only one needed re-STING. Open surgery was performed in 13 patients (18 reflux ureters) because of unchanged reflux after STING, most of them due to complex reflux: duplex ureters, ectopic ureters, ureteroceles and paraureteral diverticula. It is concluded that most patients with vesicoureteral reflux can be successfully treated by using subureteric teflon injection.