Ureteral reimplantation: postoperative management without catheters

We reviewed the medical records of 34 consecutive children with reflux who underwent simple ureteroneocystostomy at our institution and an affiliated hospital between 1991 and 1992. Fourteen patients were managed with ureteral and urethral catheters during the initial postoperative period, and 20 patients were managed with a "catheterless" technique employing neither of these devices. The latter group had a 50 percent decrease in length of hospital stay with 20 percent decrease in hospital costs when compared with the former. They also seemed to have less postoperative discomfort as evidenced by a 50 percent decrease in administered pain medicine. Complete follow-up was obtained in all cases, and there were no complications or failures.