Pediatric laparoscopic pyeloplasty: 4-year experience

Laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty for correction of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) in the pediatric population is comparable to open dismembered pyeloplasty in success rates. Experience with this procedure however remains limited. We review our experience with this technique.

The hospital records of consecutive patients undergoing surgery for UPJO between May 2001 and May 2005 were reviewed. Only those who underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasty for single system UPJO were included in the study. Indications for surgical correction were T(1/2) > or = 20 minutes by diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid Lasix renography or symptomatology with hydronephrosis seen on renal ultrasonography (US).

Fifty-nine patients were identified, all of whom were treated surgically for salvageable UPJO. Four underwent percutaneous endopyelotomy for concomitant urolithiasis, 27 underwent open dismembered pyeloplasty (parent choice or under 18 months of age), and 28 underwent laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty. One patient had bilateral laparoscopic repairs at different times, resulting in 29 renal units that were reconstructed laparoscopically. Of these, 28 were completed. Eighteen procedures were performed on boys and 11 on girls. The mean age was 8.1 (1.6-18.9) years. The mean operating room time was 255 (157-396) minutes. Estimated blood loss was <10 mL in every patient. One patient required hospitalization longer than 23 hours because of postoperative ileus. A retroperitoneal urinoma developed in another patient, despite having a ureteral stent; it resolved with urethral catheter drainage. The first laparoscopic pyeloplasty resulted in open conversion because of failure of progression of the ureteropelvic anastomosis. At a mean follow-up of 27.9 (7.6-58.0) months, all patients demonstrated improvement of symptoms and drainage on nuclear renography or a decrease in the grade of hydronephrosis on renal US.

Our series of patients undergoing laparoscopic pyeloplasty had excellent results with low morbidity. We consider this our primary technique for surgical correction of UPJO in patients older than 18 months.