Analysis of indications for ureteral reimplantation in 3738 children with vesicoureteral reflux: a single institutional cohort

Lump type crossed fused renal ectopia with bilateral vesicoureteral reflux: A case report

BACKGROUND

Crossed fused renal ectopia is a rare congenital anomaly of the ascent of the kidney. This anomaly may be observed as a solitary kidney during initial evaluation. A solitary kidney must be evaluated for associated anomalies such as duplication, horseshoe kidney, or crossed renal ectopia.

CASE SUMMARY

An anomaly was observed in a 9-mo-old male child who was subsequently diagnosed with crossed fused renal ectopia and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). In this condition, recurrent febrile urinary tract infection can be a serious problem, and can easily cause renal damage due to relatively short ureters and high pressure in the kidney.

CONCLUSION

To prevent urosepsis and preserve renal function, early diagnosis and proper management including surgical correction should be considered for the management of renal ectopia with VUR.

Vesicoureteral reflux is a phenotype, not a disease: A population-centered approach to pediatric urinary tract infection

We performed a review of the recent literature concerning urinary tract infection (UTI) evaluation and management. In modeling options for management, one overriding conclusion became apparent: in most affected children, the presence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is inconsequential since it has no bearing on optimal management or outcome. In fact, knowing that a child does not have reflux might bias the provider to withhold potentially helpful therapeutic modalities to decrease UTI morbidity, such as antibiotic prophylaxis. In this review, we will propose that evaluation for VUR is not necessary or helpful except in the small subset of children whose UTIs have proven refractory to management of their other risk factors.

Renal Ultrasound for Infants Younger Than 2 Months With a Febrile Urinary Tract Infection

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to determine the performance of renal ultrasound for detecting vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and obstructive uropathies in infants younger than 2 months with a febrile urinary tract infection (UTI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of infants younger than 2 months with fever and culture-proven UTI presenting from July 1, 2008, through December 31, 2011, with renal ultrasound and voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) performed within 30 days of UTI diagnosis. Two pediatric radiologists independently reviewed the renal ultrasound and VCUG findings. Results of the renal ultrasound were deemed abnormal if collecting system dilation, renal size asymmetry, collecting system duplication, urothelial thickening, ureteral dilation, or bladder anomalies were present. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of renal ultrasound were calculated using VCUG as reference standard.

RESULTS

Of the 197 patients included (mean [SD] age, 33 [ 15 ] days; male-to-female ratio, 2:1), 25% (n = 49) had VUR grades I-V, with 16% (n = 31) having VUR grades III-V and 8% (n = 15) having VUR grades IV-V. For grades I-V VUR, sensitivity was 32.7% (95% CI, 20.0-47.5%), specificity was 69.6% (95% CI, 61.5-76.9%), PPV was 26.2% (95% CI, 15.8-39.1%), and NPV was 75.7% (95% CI, 67.6-82.7%). For grades III-V VUR, sensitivity was 51.6% (95% CI, 33.1-69.9%), specificity was 72.9% (95% CI, 65.5-79.5%), PPV was 26.2% (95% CI, 15.8-39.1%), and NPV was 89.0% (95% CI, 82.5-93.7%). For grades IV-V VUR, sensitivity was 86.7% (95% CI, 59.5-98.3%), specificity was 73.6% (95% CI, 66.6-79.9%), PPV was 21.3% (95% CI, 11.9-33.7%), and NPV was 98.5% (95% CI, 94.8-99.8%). No obstructive uropathies were diagnosed by VCUG in patients with normal renal ultrasound findings.

CONCLUSION

In infants younger than 2 months, a normal renal ultrasound makes the presence of grades IV and V VUR highly unlikely but does not rule out lower grades of VUR.

Physician preference is a major factor in management of vesicoureteral reflux

BACKGROUND

Known factors affecting the management of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) include reflux grade, infection frequency, age and gender. We hypothesized that provider preference is highly associated with management.

METHODS

Utilizing the national billing database, Faculty Practice Solutions Center, a multivariable logistic regression model, was applied to analyze the association of pediatric urologist treatment patterns, patient age, gender, uni- or bilateral disease, insurance type, presence of nephropathy and race with the type of VUR treatment a patient would receive.

RESULTS

We identified 59 pediatric urologists who managed 7,882 new reflux patients from 2009 to 2011. Over this 3-year period there was wide variation in surgical utilization between surgeons (mean 50 %) but minimal change for each surgeon (5 %). For every 100 new reflux patients, median utilization of reimplantation surgery and injection of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (Deflux) was 26 and 20 %, respectively. Age ranked highest in predicting surgical versus non-surgical management, while a surgeon's historic Deflux utilization rate ranked highest in predicting surgery type. Older age, female gender and white race also increased the odds of Deflux utilization over reimplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

A surgeon's historic Deflux utilization was the most important predictor of VUR surgery type. Although data on reflux grade were not available, analysis of patient and surgeon characteristics suggests that surgeon preference is the first or second most critical factor in determining a patient's treatment.

Predictive risk factors in childhood urinary tract infection, vesicoureteral reflux, and renal scarring management

Approaches to the management of children with urinary tract infection (UTI), vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), and renal scars have been challenged and have become controversial over the past decade. It is difficult to determine when, how, and which patients will benefit from the diagnosis and management of this condition. Therefore, the issues of diagnostic imaging, observation, follow-up, and intervention tend to be decided more on a case-by-case basis, rather than by using an algorithm. Over the past few years, there have been advances in the identification of risk factors that predispose patients with UTI to present with VUR, to develop recurrent UTIs and renal scars, to have deteriorating renal function, to show VUR improvement and/or spontaneous resolution, and to be candidates for and benefit from early surgical intervention.

Current options in the management of primary vesicoureteral reflux in children

The management of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is varied and remains controversial, which is likely because children with VUR have different risks for urinary tract infection or renal injury. Consequently, the treatment of VUR needs to be individualized based on the patient's characteristics. In this article, the authors review the medical and surgical management options for VUR in the pediatric population. The authors hope to provide a systematic approach to determine which treatment is optimal for a specific patient.