Postoperative care in hypospadias. Common practices and evidence available. / Cuidados postoperatorios en el hipospadias. Prácticas habituales y evidencia disponible.

INTRODUCTION: There are many alternatives available regarding postoperative care in hypospadias surgery. The objective of this study was to assess the current care situation in our environment and to review the evidence available for pediatric surgeons who conduct this procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey regarding the main aspects of hypospadias postoperative care was created and distributed to pediatric surgeons. In addition, the evidence currently published in this field was reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 46 replies were achieved. 100% of the surgeons leave in place a probe or stent, and more than 80% remove it after 5 or 7 days. 87.8% of the respondents use a double diaper, but only 65.2% discharge patients early in the postoperative period. 60.9% prescribe antibiotic prophylaxis for as long as the probe remains in place, and 34.8% use full-dose antibiotic therapy. DISCUSSION: There was a general consensus regarding urethroplasty guiding and the use of compression dressings among the pediatric surgeons surveyed. However, more discrepancies were found in the use of antibiotic therapy and early discharge. The currently available evidence and international practice suggest using a probe with double diaper and early discharge, with postoperative antibiotics being limited. In the absence of clear evidence for a specific care type, the patient's experience could be used to choose the best postoperative protocol on an individual basis.

INTRODUCCION: Existen numerosas alternativas en lo que respecta a los cuidados postoperatorios en la cirugía de hipospadias. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la situación actual de estos cuidados en nuestro medio y revisar la evidencia existente al respecto para cirujanos pediátricos que realizan este tipo de intervenciones. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Hemos elaborado y distribuido una encuesta que recoge los principales puntos en el cuidado postoperatorio del hipospadias dirigida a cirujanos pediátricos. Se ha realizado revisión de la evidencia actual publicada al respecto en la especialidad. RESULTADOS: Hemos obtenido un total de 46 respuestas. El 100% de los cirujanos dejan algún tipo de sonda o stent y más del 80% están de acuerdo en retirarlo tras 5 o 7 días. El 87,8% de los encuestados utiliza el doble pañal, pero solo el 65,2% da alta precoz en el postoperatorio. Un 60,9% pauta profilaxis antibiótica mientras dure el sondaje y un 34,8% antibioterapia a dosis plenas. DISCUSION: Existe consenso general respecto a la tutorización de la uretroplastia y el uso de apósito compresivo entre los cirujanos pediátricos encuestados. Se detectan más discrepancias en el uso de antibioterapia y el alta precoz. La evidencia actual y la práctica a nivel internacional apunta hacia el uso de la sonda a doble pañal con alta precoz y la limitación del uso de antibióticos postoperatorios. En ausencia de clara evidencia que favorezca un tipo de cuidado u otro, la experiencia del paciente podría ser utilizada para elegir el mejor protocolo postoperatorio individualizado.

Intestinal duplication isolated from the digestive tract: an entity to be considered. / Duplicación intestinal aislada respecto al tracto digestivo: una entidad a tener en cuenta.

OBJECTIVES: To review intestinal duplications isolated from the digestive tract. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Description of the 27 isolated intestinal duplication cases published; presentation of a new case. RESULTS: Intestinal duplication isolated from the digestive tract represents an extremely rare malformation. This type of duplication is not in close contact with any segment of the intestinal tract, and it has its own vascular pedicle. Preoperative diagnosis rates are lower than those found in classic duplications. In addition to the potential complications, malformation torsion is also to be considered. CONCLUSIONS: This infrequent variant is to be considered at differential diagnosis. Potential torsion should also be taken into account in order to decide when an asymptomatic patient should undergo surgery.

OBJETIVOS: Revisión de las duplicaciones intestinales aisladas, sin conexión con el tracto digestivo. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Se recopilan los 27 casos de duplicación intestinal aislada publicados hasta el momento y se presenta un nuevo caso. RESULTADOS: Las duplicaciones intestinales aisladas sin conexión con el tracto digestivo representan una variante de la malformación extremadamente rara. Este tipo de duplicaciones no están en contacto íntimo con ningún segmento del tracto intestinal y cuelgan de un pe­dículo vascular propio. Tienen menos tasa de diagnóstico prequirúrgico que las duplicaciones clásicas y a las posibles complicaciones hay que añadir la torsión de la malformación. CONCLUSIONES: Es interesante conocer esta variante infrecuente para considerarla en el diagnóstico diferencial. La posibilidad añadida de torsión debe tenerse en cuenta para decidir el momento de la cirugía en el paciente asintomático.

[Value of the direct cystoscintigraphy in the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux in patients with prenatal hydronephrosis]. / Valor de la cistogammagrafía directa en el diagnóstico del reflujo vesicoureteral en pacientes con hidronefrosis prenatal.

OBJECTIVE: As the radiation received in conventional cystography is about 20 times higher than radionuclide cystography and the sensitivity of the last is higher in order to diagnose vesicoureteral reflux, we consider the use of radionuclide cystography in early detection of reflux in patients with prenatally detected hydronephrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2003 and 2009, a study of neonates with prenatal history of hydronephrosis was performed in order to rule out reflux. Our protocol was as follows: The diagnosis was confirmed by postnatal ultrasound at 1 week (in this case patient initiate antibiotic prophylaxis). A new ultrasound was repeated at 6 weeks, if the dilatation was larger than 8 mm at this time, direct radionuclide scintigraphy was performed. The patients were placed on prophylactic antibiotics until the screenining results were known. Conventional cystography was performed if a male infant showed severe dilatation, or in general in cases with parenchymatous atrophy or if a duplex system was suspected. RESULTS: In 13 (20%) of the 65 cases (18 kidneys) reflux was detected (3 minor, 8 moderate and 7 severe). In most cases, follow up was performed with radionuclide cystography. None of the patients with reflux placed on prophylactic antibiotics developed a febrile urinary tract infection during the first year of life. CONCLUSIONS: Direct radionuclide cystography is a useful diagnostic method in early detection of vesicoureteral reflux in patients with prenatal hydronephrosis with higher sensitivity than conventional cystography, and with an important advantage concerning radiation of the patient. Patients screened and placed on prophylactic antibiotics are probably going to present less episodes of pielonephrytis.

[Urofacial Ochoa's syndrome: a clinical case]. / Síndrome urofacial de Ochoa: caso clínico.

An 11 year-old girl had an urinary diversion because of a complex uropathy with vesical sphincter dyssinergism. Her inexpressive face with lost eyes and forced gestures, especially when smiling--her smile looking rather like weeping--was the clue to the diagnosis of Ochoa's syndrome. She underwent psoic bladder fixation, right ureteral reimplantation, bladder neck loosening and cystostomy undiversion. At follow-up, renal function deteriorated. She has recently received a kidney transplantation in another institution, and is now symptom-free.

[Ectopic ureter as cause of urinary incontinence in girls]. / Uréter ectópico como causa de incontinencia urinaria en las niñas.

Continuous urine dripping together with normal micturition is the classical picture of ectopic ureter in girls. During the years 1982 to 1996, eleven girls with such abnormality have been treated at our department. The diagnostic work-up included: intravenous pyelogram (IP), ultrasonography (US), renal scintiscan, cystogram, cystoscopy and/or vaginoscopy, as well as a thorough exam of the external genitalia under general anesthesia. Ten girls had a double renal system, one of them being bilateral; one girl had simple kidneys with renal ectopia. Treatment was heminephrectomy with ureterectomy in 9 cases, ureteroureterostomy with preservation of the hemikidney in one case, and nephrectomy with ureterectomy in the case with a simple system. Urinary incontinence in girls due to ectopic ureter is an uncommon disease. Eigthty-five% of the cases are associated to renal duplication. IP is highly sensible to defect renal duplication; direct vision of the ectopic ureter meatus, canalization and roentgenologic confirmation of the suspected diagnosis are required prior to surgery. Heminephrectomy has been the most common treatment; however, early diagnosis by means of US will promote more conservative surgical approaches.

[Treatment with triamcinolone cetonide (trigon-depot) for stenosis after surgery of severe hypospadias]. / Tratamiento con triamcinolona acetónido (trigon-depot) de las estenosis post-intervención de hipospadias graves.

Urethral stenosis is, after the fistula, the most frequent complication in patients undergoing hypospadias repair. Incidence ranges between 6% and 10% depending on the surgical technique. Treatment of this complication with simple dilation of the narrowed segment is enough in most cases. However, dilation of the stricture may be difficult in patients with severe hypospadias that required wide dissection and excision of fibrotic tissue to repair a large deviation and also in patients who had previously multiple operations. We report 3 patients with severe hypospadias (scrotal and perineal) with history of multiple operations for that condition and postoperative urethral stenosis at different sites. All patients had periodical dilations for several months without any improvement. Surgical treatment was indicated to enlarge the stenotic segment. Enlargement was performed using oral mucosa graft in two cases and a local flap in the third one. Urethral stricture recurred in all cases very soon after the plasty and repeated dilations did not improve the symptoms. In the presence of hard scar tissue it was decided to inject triamcinolone DCI acetoide (Trigon depot), a long acting steroid, into the segment where the fibrotic narrowing was more severe, in an effort to obtain the same results reported in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids. All the patients had repeated triamcinolone injections of hypertrophic scars and keloids. All the patients had repeated triamcinolone injections every 2-3 months. Follow-up ranges between 5 and 20 months and all of them are free of symptoms.