Indications for nephrectomy in children: a report on 119 cases

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Urology
• Pediatric Nephrology

Background:

• Nephrectomy in children is performed for various benign and malignant conditions.
• Understanding the indications is crucial for surgical planning and patient outcomes.
• Previous studies have highlighted different etiological patterns globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze the indications for nephrectomy in pediatric patients.
• To categorize indications into benign and malignant etiologies.
• To assess associated morbidity and mortality in the study cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for 119 pediatric patients who underwent nephrectomy.
• Data collected between 1997 and 2009 at King Hussein Medical Center, Amman, Jordan.
• Analysis of patient demographics, surgical procedures, indications, morbidity, and mortality.

Main Results:

• Obstructive nephropathy was the leading indication (58.8% benign), followed by malignancy (41.2%).
• Common benign indications included complicated vesicoureteric reflux and urinary tract stones/infections.
• Wilms tumor and neuroblastoma were the primary malignant indications.
• Mortality was nil in cases without malignancy.

Conclusions:

• Obstructive nephropathy and kidney malignancy are the main drivers for pediatric nephrectomy.
• Benign conditions necessitate nephrectomy more frequently than malignant ones in this cohort.
• Long-term follow-up is essential for children with a solitary functioning kidney.