Study of ureteric jet in kidney transplant recipient

An intact vescio-ureteric junction (VUJ) complex is necessary to maintain its normal physiological function. A ureteric jet is produced when urine is vigorously propelled from the VUJ into the urinary bladder. The transplanted ureter lacks a normal VUJ but maintains its intrinsic peristaltic activity. this study was conducted to compare prospectively between the ureteric jet parameters in voluntary kidney donors by Doppler ultrasound of the same with patients who underwent ureteric re-implantation during a kidney transplantation procedure.

There were a total of 44 participants in the study. The outcome measurements were taken of the anteriorposterior diameter of the renal pelvis (RP-APD), the resistive index of the renal artery (RA-Ri), and ureteric jet parameters- the jet's maximum velocity, pattern, initial slope, direction, and duration. The patterns were of the following types - triphasic, biphasic, polyphasic, square, continuous, and monophasic.

The biphasic and monophasic jet pattern was most common in the donor and recipient groups, respectively.

The Doppler waveform observed in transplanted ureters significantly differs from that seen in healthy voluntary kidney donors. This observation lends support to the theory that the native VUJ functions as a sphincter.