[Intrarenal reflux and kidney damage in essential vesicoureteral reflux]

We had reviewed our series of 59 patients with intrarenal reflux selected out of 596 diagnosed of vesicoureteral reflux. The number of renal units affected of intrarenal reflux was 74. We divided our patients into two groups, in an attempt to clarify the relationship between renal damage and urinary infection; a group include there was prenatal diagnosis of urinary tract dilatation and another group diagnosed for bacterial infection of urine after birth. Reflux nephropathy were present in 27 renal units; 9 from 30 units (30%) in the prenatally diagnosed group, and 18 from 44 units (41%) in the other group. Reflux nephropathy was diagnosed by intravenous pyelogram and/or radionuclide renogram. We concluded that intrarenal reflux (IRR) is relatively frequent in our population and that 30% of patients prenatally diagnosed had renal damage without urinary infection, landing support to the previously published existence of a prenatal origin for some newborn.