One Trocar-Assisted Retroperitoneoscopic Ureteroureterostomy for Ureteral Duplication.

ABSTRACT

Aim: To describe the operative technique and outcome of one trocar-assisted retroperitoneoscopic ureteroureterostomy (OTAU) in 40 cases of complete ureteral duplication in children. Patients and Methods: From September 2016 to December 2020, 40 patients (12 male and 28 female) less than 10 years of age underwent OTAU. A transverse skin incision of 12 mm in length was created approximately 1 cm above the iliac crest. Muscle was spared and retracted with stay sutures to expose the retroperitoneal space. Subsequently, a balloon trocar was then inserted, and pneumoperitoneum was achieved. A 10 mm operating laparoscope (Stema, Germany) with a Maryland was used to dissect and isolate the ureters from surrounding tissues. The ureters were then exteriorized and end-to-side ureteroureterostomy was performed using Polydioxanone (PDS) 6/0 running sutures. Patient's demographic, operative, and follow-up data were collected prospectively. Results: The mean age of patients was 25.2 months (range 1-105 months). The mean operating time was 81.9 ± 11.3 minutes. There were no intraoperative conversions or complications. After a median follow-up time of 47.5 months, the differential renal function of the pathological upper pole moiety (UPM) was preserved in all patients. Ultrasound revealed a significant reduction in UPM's renal pelvis anterior-posterior diameter from 19.6 ± 9.1 mm preoperatively to 11.1 ± 6.7 mm postoperatively (p < 0.05), accompanied by a reduction in ureter's diameter from 10.8 ± 4.4 mm to 4.8 ± 1.2 mm (p < 0.05). Overall, all 32 patients with preoperative symptoms experienced complete symptom resolution. Conclusion: OTAU is a safe and feasible approach that yields excellent outcomes for complete ureteral duplication.