[Endoscopic treatment of ureterocele in children: is a long term effective technique?]

The endoscopic treatment of the ureterocele is a less invasive procedure. Currently, there are only a few published articles regarding the long-term outcomes of this treatment.

We have introduced this technique in our practice since 1995, and have been tracking 15 pediatric patients for long-term evaluation.

The average operative age for endoscopic treatment is 19.40 months (1 week-8 years). In 53% of the cases, the diagnosis was made during prenatal screening. In 27% of the cases, the ureterocele was bilateral, and 47% of the patients have a double system. The indication for endoscopic treatment is 66% ureteric obstruction and 34% vesicoureteric reflux. We perform "uncapping" and incision in the two first cases and puncture in the subsequent procedure. The patients were followed for 4 years (7 months-7 years). During this time, two ureteroceles needed a second perforation, out of the seven that continued having reflux, two were treated with quimioprofilaxis and two were treated endoscopically for anti-reflux. Two patients continued to have reflux, and two were diagnosed with renal atrophy and hemiatrophy.

The endoscopic treatment avoided an open surgical procedure in almost all cases. The need for anti-reflux puncture occurred in 33% of the cases.