[Long-term evolution of vesicoureteral reflux in children]

Vesicoureteral reflux is very common in children, requiring a long follow-up period to reduce its progression toward chronic renal failure. This study aims to analyze the epidemiological diagnostic features, the management of vesicoureteral reflux and long term course of patients with this disease. We conducted a retrospective study of 42 patients with suspected vesicoureteral reflux hospitalized in the Department of Visceral Paediatric Surgery at the Hassan II University Hospital of Fez over a period of 6 years from January 2010 to December 2015. Mean age of patients at diagnosis was 3 years and 2 months. The boy is to girl sex ratio was 1.8. Vesicoureteral reflux was isolated in 81% of patients and secondary or associated in 19% of patients. The most common initial manifestation was urinary tract infection (90.4%). Renal function was impaired in 54.8% of children. The treatment was based on antibiotics against diagnosed UTI (90.4%), antibiotic prophylaxis in the case of recurrence and Cohen reimplantation (97.62%). Surgical indication readily concerned all patients with grades IV and V vesicoureteral reflux (73.9%) as well as patients with impaired kidneys and 26.1% of patients after medical treatment. Early and late postoperative course was in general satisfactory: disappearance of vesicoureteral reflux in 92.68% of cases. Upper urinary tract regressed except for 9.52% of patients; 95.23% of patients had complete recovery of renal function. There was a reduction in UTI recurrence (in 19.04% of cases after surgery). The majority of parents judged positively the clinical course of their children (54.76%) after surgery.