[Postoperative ureteral obstruction after endoscopic antireflux therapy]

To know the incidence of new contralateral VUR and its evolution in children with primary unilateral vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) managed with endoscopic treatment (ET).

During 7.5 years a total of 228 children with primary VUR underwent endoscopic implantation of bulking material, 90 of them (39.5%) have been unilateral. The inclusion criterion was: unilateral primary VUR managed with ET, without previously contralateral VUR. Collected data included: patient age, gender, indications for surgery, number of preoperative cystourethrograms, preoperative and new contralateral postoperative VUR grades, nephropathy in the ipsilateral or contralateral sides, type and volume of bulking material used, and VUR outcome. An update bibliographic review with methanalysis is also performed to compare results.

Six children (6.7%) developed new contralateral VUR. Mean age was 3.3 years. Four patients were females and 2 males. The bulking material used was polydimethylsiloxane in one and Dextranomer/Non animal stabilished hyaluronic acid in 5. The initial grades of primary VUR were: II in 1 case, III in 3, and IV in 2. Four patients had previous history of bladder dysfunction. The new contralateral VUR was II in 5 and III in one. In 5 patients initial VUR persisted, always of lower grade than previously, and new contralateral VUR appeared. In one patient initial VUR disappeared and appeared in the contralateral side. Five patients were reinjected and VUR was cured, except one who is waiting for a new endoscopic procedure. One patient with grade II contralateral VUR is under observation. In the metanalysis performed nine issues have been found with an incidence of 8.2%.

Contralateral VUR is a relatively frequent complication in unilateral primary VUR treated by endoscopic procedures (6.7%), but not enough as to perform bilateral endoscopic treatment in all unilateral VUR. Contralateral VUR etiology is not clear but bladder dysfunction can be an important factor.