Unilateral single vaginal ectopic ureter with ipsilateral hypoplastic pelvic kidney and bicornuate uterus

UNILATERAL SINGLE VAGINAL ECTOPIC URETER WITH IPSILATERAL HYPOPLASTIC AND DEGENERATED KIDNEY ASSOCIATED WITH INFERTILITY IN IBERIAN IBEX (CAPRA PYRENAICA) DOES

This article describes the urinogenital condition of three female Iberian ibexes (Capra pyrenaica-one infertile 3-yr-old adult and two prepubertal animals aged 1 (PP1) and 2 (PP2) yr, respectively, all raised in captivity. All showed constant urinal dribbling, leading to ulcerative dermatitis in the vulvar area. Housed in a stable with other females, the adult did not become pregnant after male contact in either of two consecutive mating seasons. Vaginoscopy and laparoscopic exploration performed on the prepubertal females revealed abnormalities of the vagina and urinary bladder. Ultrasound examination revealed atrophy of the left kidney in the adult female and PP1, and of the right kidney in PP2, with degeneration of the renal pelvis. A paraovarian cyst with hydrosalpinx was also detected in the left oviduct of the adult female. Postmortem analysis of the adult and PP2, which shared a mother, confirmed an extramural single ectopic ureter with vaginal insertion associated with atrophy of the ipsilateral kidney. Though PP1 was officially unrelated to the latter animals, all three might have had a common ancestor in their lineages.

Incidental Findings During Routine Antepartum Obstetrical Sonography

The standard for performing an antepartum obstetrical sonogram primarily involves the examination of the fetus; however, both the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) and American College of Radiology (ACR) guidelines suggest the evaluation of maternal structures as well. The authors present 35 incidental findings that were discovered on routine antepartum obstetrical sonography. These include abdominal wall, gastrointestinal, reproductive, urinary, and vascular anomalies in the maternal structures. A review of the literature demonstrates that many of these findings have clinical significance, which highlights the wisdom of the AIUM and ACR guidelines, and it also stresses the importance of seeking and reporting them.

The role of dynamic magnetic resonance urography in complex neonatal hydrometrocolpos

Urinary hydrometrocolpos is rarely diagnosed and is most often attributed to a persistent urogenital sinus or a cloaca. We report the case of a neonate in which the use of dynamic MRI allowed accurate preoperative diagnosis of urinary hydrometrocolpos secondary to ectopic drainage of a small left pelvic kidney, associated with a bicornuate uterus.

Congenital urogenital anomalies that are associated with the persistence of Gartner's duct: a review

The embryogenesis and management of congenital urogenital anomalies that are associated with ureteric ectopia and the persistence of Gartner's duct are discussed. Ureteric ectopia with Gartner's duct cyst is caused by the failure of separation of the ureteric bud from the mesonephric duct, which leads to persistence of Gartner's duct, frequently with cystic dilation. Abnormal development of the ureter subsequently causes maldevelopment or absence of the ipsilateral kidney. The diagnosis and treatment of 2 adult women with congenital urethrovaginal fistula that was associated with unilateral single ectopic ureter, renal agenesis, and Gartner's duct anomaly are presented. Surgical repair of the urethrovaginal fistulae and removal of the Gartner's duct and cyst was performed transvaginally.

Single vaginal ectopic ureter of fetal metanephric duct origin, ipsilateral kidney agenesis, and ipsilateral rudimentary uterine horn of the bicornuate uterus

BACKGROUND

Congenital anomalies arising from the urogenital tracts are common. We experienced two cases of specific urogenital anomalies.

CASE

Two Japanese women had a single ectopic ureter opening in the central wall of the vagina, ipsilateral kidney agenesis, and ipsilateral rudimentary uterine horn of the bicornuate uterus. One had squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, and the other had adenocarcinoma of the vagina arising from the ectopic ureter meatus, which was histologically confirmed as fetal metanephric duct remnant. One had vesico-vaginal fistula postoperatively, resulting from separating the ureter-like duct from the bladder.

CONCLUSION

Concomitant occurrence of anomalies suggests the common genetic backgrounds, which are not well known. Clinically, the ectopic vaginal ureter is important as a possible background of vaginal adenocarcinoma, and information on the ureter-like duct course is required during surgery.

Paradoxical incontinence caused by "invisible dysplastic" kidneys: role of laparoscopy

A 35-year old female presented with paradoxical urinary incontinence. Examination under general anesthesia did not reveal any abnormality and cystoscopy showed absent right hemitrigone. Radiological and other renal imaging modalities revealed absent right kidney and normal functioning left kidney. Simultaneous localization and removal of small dysplastic right kidney was carried out by transperitoneal laparoscopy. Role of laparoscopy is emphasized in patients presenting with paradoxical urinary incontinence with no "visible" kidney/ureteric orifice on conventional evaluation.

Laparoscopy for definite localization and simultaneous treatment of ectopic ureter draining a dysplastic kidney in children

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Single-system ectopic ureter draining a dysplastic kidney is a rare urologic abnormality. In this study, we evaluated our own experience using laparoscopy for the simultaneous identification and removal of such ureterorenal units.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between February 1999 and August 2001, four girls with a mean age of 11 years presented with urinary incontinence. After imaging studies including CT scan, MRI, or both were done, all the patients underwent laparoscopy for definitive localization and simultaneous treatment.

RESULTS

In all cases, ultrasonography and intravenous urography combined to reveal a single normal kidney. Even the CT scan could not identify the dysplastic kidney or ectopic ureter in three children. Laparoscopy was performed transperitoneally in all four patients, and a small dysplastic kidney was identified. Discovery of the kidney was not difficult because we initially identified the ureter crossing over the iliac vessels. Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was successful in all patients with a mean operative time of 102 minutes. There was no significant intraoperative or postoperative complication, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.5 days. All patients have remained completely dry without any problems after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients having a clinical suspicion of ectopic ureter draining a dysplastic kidney, laparoscopy may represent an alternative modality for simultaneous diagnosis and treatment.

Laparoscopy as the investigation and treatment of choice for urinary incontinence caused by small 'invisible' dysplastic kidneys with infrasphincteric ureteric ectopia

OBJECTIVE

To report our experience of using laparoscopy for the accurate location and simultaneous removal of small dysplastic kidneys with ectopic ureteric insertion causing urinary incontinence and that were not detected by conventional imaging modalities.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seven girls (mean age 7.9 years, range 3.5-13) presented with urinary leakage occurring between normal voids. Imaging studies including ultrasonography, renal scintigraphy, intravenous urography, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging in six of the seven patients revealed a single normal functioning kidney, but failed to detect the contralateral nonfunctioning dysplastic kidney. All patients were examined under anaesthesia, followed by transperitoneal laparoscopy for the simultaneous localization and removal of the dysplastic kidneys under the same setting.

RESULTS

Laparoscopy in all seven patients revealed a small dysplastic kidney that could always be easily located by first finding the draining ureter over the iliac vessels and then following it upwards. Four dysplastic kidneys were found in the renal fossa (two left, two right). One kidney was found at the left iliac fossa just above the pelvic brim, one at the left lumbar region, and the other at the right iliac fossa. Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was successful in all seven girls and the patients were discharged 48 h after surgery. The follow-up (mean 2.7 years, range 3 months-5.4 years) showed excellent cosmetic results and all the patients have remained completely dry.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with a classical picture of urinary incontinence caused by infrasphincteric ureteric ectopia associated with a small nonfunctioning kidney, video-laparoscopy, with its magnifying effect, can reliably confirm the diagnosis, locate the dysplastic kidney and allow its removal in the same setting. We propose that laparoscopy should be considered the investigation and treatment of choice in such patients, and should be undertaken without delay even if the dysplastic kidney or the ectopic ureteric orifice cannot be identified with all other conventional means.

The single ectopic ureter

OBJECTIVES To correlate renal function with the site of the ectopic orifice in patients with a single ectopic ureter and to evaluate the role of ureteric reimplantation in the preservation of renal function.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-four patients (41 female, age 1.5 months to 20 years) with a single ectopic ureter have been managed in our institution in the last 21 years. The classical symptom of continuous wetting with intermittent normal micturition was reported in most of the female patients. The investigative evaluation included intravenous urography (i.v.U), cysto-urethroscopy, vaginoscopy with retrograde ureteric catheterization, micturating cysto-urethrography (MCU) and ultrasonography. Diuretic renography was carried out in four patients after it became available in 1992. Renal function was assessed in relation to urinary tract anomalies and with outcome after ureteric re-implantation.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight patients (two males) had a unilateral ectopic ureter; the ectopic orifice was vaginal in 12, vestibular in 11, urethral in nine, at the bladder neck in two, the seminal vesicle in one and undetermined in three. Twenty-one patients had renal and/or ureteric abnormalities, with reflux detected on MCU in three ureters. Associated anomalies included hypospadias (two, one female), skeletal anomalies (two), anorectal malformations (three), cryptorchidism (two), and unilateral cystic ovary (one). Two patients had preoperative hypertension. In 15 patients, renal function was considered sufficient to justify ureteric reimplantation, 14 of whom regained continence. One girl had suprapubic leakage from the bladder and died during secondary nephroureterectomy. Another girl had persistent incontinence; she was found to have contralateral duplex ureters with a vestibular ectopic orifice and was cured after upper polar heminephroureterectomy. i.v.U and renography carried out in two patients each within 4 weeks of surgery showed a moderate improvement in renal function. Eight patients reported for follow-up after ureteric reimplantation (mean duration 11 months); none had hypertension or urinary infection. Twenty-three patients with rudimentary kidneys underwent nephroureterectomy. Histopathological examination of the excised kidneys showed moderate to severe dysplasia with chronic pyelonephritis. Six patients (one male) had bilateral single ectopic ureters, with normal renal function in the five females. Unilateral reimplantation in the boy resolved the symptoms; one girl died before surgery and the other four underwent bilateral ureteric reimplantation, after which one was dry for up to 3 h while the other three were incontinent, one of whom subsequently underwent urinary diversion.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no clear correlation of renal function with the site of the ectopic ureteric orifice, as most of the patients with a vaginal ectopic ureter had sufficient renal function to justify renal preservation. Ureteric reimplantation preserved renal function, although the improvement after surgery was determined by the degree of renal dysplasia.

A single-system ectopic ureter draining an ectopic dysplastic kidney: delayed diagnosis in the young female with continuous urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVE

To document the array of diagnostic modalities, the variety of errant diagnoses and treatments. and the time from initial presentation to ultimate diagnosis in girls with an ectopic single-system ureter draining an ectopic hypoplastic and/or dysplastic kidney.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between 1990 and 1997, seven females were identified who had an ectopic hypoplastic and/or dysplastic kidney with an ectopically draining ureter, and who were treated at our institutions, either initially or upon referral. The nature and number of all diagnostic evaluations, previous diagnoses and treatments, and the time from presentation to definitive diagnosis were recorded.

RESULTS

All seven females had a classical history of successful toilet training, a normal voiding pattern and continuous urinary incontinence. Typically, a solitary kidney was noted on the initial diagnostic evaluation by ultrasonography and/or intravenous urography. The mean (range) age at initial presentation was 3.2 (2-6) years. Additionally, voiding cysto-urethrography, urodynamics, radionuclide scintigraphy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopy were performed. The age at definitive diagnosis was 3-16.5 years and the mean (range) time from initial presentation to diagnosis was 5.7 (1-10) years. Nephroureterectomy was curative and all kidneys were dysplastic.

CONCLUSION

Continuous urinary incontinence in females with a normal voiding pattern should prompt an evaluation for ureteric ectopia. When the initial evaluation yields the diagnosis of a solitary kidney, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of a hypoplastic and/or dysplastic, often ectopic, contralateral kidney with an ectopically draining ureter. Identification of this entity should allow curative surgical treatment.

Imaging techniques to assess the pelvis in young females

This article is designed to help the nonradiologist to form a logical imaging plan when presented with a diagnostic dilemma involving the pelvis of a young female. Common presenting problems are grouped under the categories of fetus, neonate and infant, child, and adolescent. Ultrasound is frequently the initial, and sometimes the only, examination indicated. The appropriateness of other modalities, such as plain radiography, genitography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, is described. Details of examination performance and interpretation are beyond the scope of this discussion, but can be gleaned from the references cited.

Laparascopic excision of pelvic kidney with single vaginal ectopic ureter

An ectopic vaginal ureter is an uncommon cause of urinary incontinence. Most cases are associated with a duplex kidney where the orthotopic lower moiety ureter enters the bladder. The authors present a case of chronic, continuous low-grade urinary incontinence caused by the rare combination of a pelvic kidney and a single ectopic ureter draining into the vagina. This ectopic kidney was successfully removed laparoscopically. A review of the English-language literature showed this to be only the second reported case treated by laparoscopic nephrectomy.