Scintigraphic screening for renal damage in siblings of children with symptomatic primary vesico-ureteric reflux.

OBJECTIVE: To define prospectively the incidence of renal parenchymal lesions in the siblings of patients treated at one institution for primary vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1997 to October 1998, a prospective study including renal scintigraphy (using dimercaptosuccinic acid, DMSA) and a radionuclide cystogram was proposed systematically to the asymptomatic siblings of children treated for primary VUR. The radionuclide cystograms were interpreted as showing the presence or absence of VUR and the DMSA scan as symmetrical or asymmetrical differential function, with or with no renal defect. RESULTS: Fifty-five families gave informed consent, of whom 46 completed the study (eight refused secondarily and one was omitted by exclusion criteria), representing 46 symptomatic patients and 65 siblings. There were 17 siblings with VUR (26%) including two of 13 infants and 15 of 52 children aged > 18 months. One radionuclide cystogram failed. Of the 17 refluxing siblings, four had a history of symptomatic urinary tract infection; 62 of the 65 siblings had a DMSA scan, of which 56 were normal and six (10%) showed abnormalities (five asymmetrical differential function and one parenchymal defect). Only one of these six patients had VUR at the time of the evaluation and only one had a small kidney detected by ultrasonography on one side (and no VUR). There were no adverse effects associated with screening. CONCLUSION: This study confirms a significant overall incidence of VUR (26%) in the asymptomatic siblings of patients treated for primary VUR. From the results of the DMSA scan (only one sibling had a parenchymal defect), the systematic screening of asymptomatic siblings does not appear to be beneficial.

[Esthetic and functional results of the transperitoneal laparoscopic approach in nephrectomy]. / Conséquences esthétiques et fonctionnelles de l'abord laparoscopique transpéritonéal pour la néphrectomie.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the aesthetic and functional sequelae of laparoscopic transperitoneal nephrectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-one laparoscopic transperitoneal nephrectomies were performed between 1996 and 1999. Four trocars were used in 9 patients and 3 trocars were used in 12 patients. In all patients of the series, nephrectomy was performed without manual assistance and the kidney was extracted from the iliac fossa after enlarging a trocar orifice. A questionnaire evaluating the aesthetic sequelae of the operation, resumption of everyday activities and the patient's general satisfaction was sent to each patient by mail. RESULTS: 17 patients completed the questionnaire after a mean follow-up of 12.2 months (range: 2 to 33 months). Scars were cosmetically satisfactory in 100% of cases, painless in 100% of cases and were considered to be invisible in 58.8% of cases. All patients were satisfied with the operation, but only 70.6% would have recommended this procedure to a friend or relative. 57.1% of the patients hospitalised for less than 5 days considered the hospital stay to be too brief and 42.9% considered it to be barely sufficient. Time to resumption of everyday activity varied considerably (7 to 70 days) with a mean of 32 days and was not correlated with operative complications. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic transperitoneal nephrectomy achieves good aesthetic and functional results, but patients are not satisfied with the short hospital stay. Resumption of everyday activity does not appear to depend on the postoperative course.

Laparoscopic retroperitoneal nephrectomy in high risk children.

PURPOSE: Nephrectomy may be indicated in children with end stage renal disease before transplantation. We studied the feasibility and results of nephrectomy performed via a retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach in these high risk children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed 12 nephrectomies in 9 children with end stage renal disease and a mean age of 7 years (range 7 months to 13 years) through a 3 trocar retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach. Cases were classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists grade III and presented with end stage renal disease, hypertension, thrombocytopenia and/or the nephrotic syndrome. The renal artery and vein were ligated separately with endocorporeal knots and clips. Mean size of the kidney was 8 cm. (range 5 to 12). Bilateral nephrectomy was performed simultaneously in 2 patients 7 and 12 months old, respectively. Cardiorespiratory changes related to retroperitoneal gas insufflation were assessed prospectively. To compare laparoscopic versus open nephrectomy we retrospectively analyzed the data of 12 open nephrectomies performed in 9 children with similar nephrological indications. RESULTS: The procedure was feasible in all cases without conversion to open surgery, and no intraoperative incident occurred. Mean operative time of laparoscopic nephrectomy was 2 hours (range 1 hour 20 minutes to 3 hours 10 minutes). After retroperitoneal carbon dioxide insufflation systolic arterial pressure and end-tidal carbon dioxide were significantly increased without the need for specific measure to correct these modifications. Hemodialysis began 1 day postoperatively and feeding began 2 days postoperatively. Mean hospital stay was 5.2 days (range 3 to 7). The comparative study of the open nephrectomy group showed no significant difference in mean operating time (p = 0.07), and hospital stay was significantly shorter for the laparoscopic group (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy is safe and feasible for high risk children. The relatively long operating time is necessary for hemostasis in these children at risk for hemorrhagic complications.

Urolithiasis and the protease inhibitor indinavir.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate specific urological abnormalities in patients treated with the protease inhibitor indinavir. METHODS: A series of 155 consecutive human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients were treated with indinavir 800 mg p.o. three times a day. Of these, 14 (9%) treated for 1-321 (average 110) days experienced severe flank pain and were subjected to clinical and laboratory examinations. RESULTS: Abdominal X-ray was consistently negative for stones. Ultrasonography showed upper-tract dilatation in 12 patients. Intravenous urography showed obstruction above a radiolucent obstacle in 7 patients; in 2 cases, there was a marked delay in urine excretion on the obstructed side. The mean urine pH was 6. Urine culture was negative. Serum uric acid, phosphorus, and calcium levels were normal. In 8 patients there was slight renal insufficiency, and 4 patients required ureteral stenting. In all cases, hyperhydration and oral analgesia led to a favorable outcome. In 3 patients, chemical analysis of the stone demonstrated monohydrate indinavir crystals. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, indinavir therapy is associated with urolithiasis in 9% of the cases. Hydration, analgesia, and acidification of the urine usually lead to a favorable clinical outcome. Prophylactic hydration and acidification of the urine are extremely important.

[Florid glandular cystitis: study of 3 cases and review of the literature]. / La cystite glandulaire floride: étude de trois cas et revue de la littérature.

The authors report three cases of florid, recurrent cystitis glandularis in white men, inducing dilatation of the upper urinary tract due to invasion of the ureteric meatus. Treatment consisted of cystectomy, with preservation of the prostatic capsule, allowing preservation of continence and sexual potency. Cystitis glandularis is a rare, generally asymptomatic, benign metaplasia; it is favoured by chronic irritation and is sometimes associated with pelvic lipomatosis. Its transformation into adenocarcinoma is exceptional and occurs in the case of persistence of the predisposing factor. However, annual surveillance by cystoscopy with bladder biopsies is necessary. The florid form is much rarer and more disabling and usually requires wide resection of the lesions.