Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Reoperative Repair for Failed Pyeloplasty in Children: An Updated Series

Reoperative pyeloplasty is commonly used in children with recurrent obstruction after pyeloplasty. We previously reported on reoperative robot-assisted laparoscopic repair for failed pyeloplasty in 16 children and concluded that short-term and intermediate outcomes were comparable to open reoperative repair. In this updated series we describe longer term outcomes from an extended study.

We retrospectively reviewed outcomes of consecutive children with prior failed primary pyeloplasty who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic reoperative repair at a single institution from January 2008 to June 2018.

Overall, 36 children 0.6 to 15.2 years old (median 3.7) underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic reoperative repair (pyeloplasty in 31, ureterocalicostomy in 5) at a median of 24.3 months (range 3.9 to 136.7) after primary repair. Median reoperative time was 285.0 minutes (range 207 to 556) and median length of stay was 1 day (1 to 8). Crossing vessels were present in 8 of 30 children (26.7%) with prior open repair and in 0 of 6 with prior minimally invasive repair. Clavien-Dindo grade 1 to 2 perioperative complications occurred in 4 children (11.1%) and grade 3 to 5 complications in 2 (5.6%). Median followup was 35.3 months (range 1.4 to 108.3), with 18 children (50.0%) being followed for more than 3 years. Postoperative ultrasound in 34 children revealed improvement in 31 (91.2%), stability in 2 (5.9%) and worsening hydronephrosis in 1 (2.9%). All 11 children undergoing preoperative and postoperative diuretic renography demonstrated stable or improved differential renal function. All children were symptom-free at last followup.

To our knowledge, this is the largest series of robot-assisted laparoscopic reoperative repair for failed pyeloplasty in children. Our results indicate the feasibility, efficacy, safety and durability of this procedure.