Complications of endopyelotomy

Percutaneous management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The development of endoscopic and minimally invasive techniques has revolutionized the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). Patients can now undergo successful UPJO repair without the morbidity and complications associated with open surgery. Laparoscopic and robotic repair has supplanted open surgery as the gold standard, but percutaneous endoscopic treatment remains a relevant alternative to more invasive surgery. This review will focus on the percutaneous approach for the treatment of UPJO.

RECENT FINDINGS

Percutaneous endopyelotomy was popularized during the 1980 s due to advances in the field of endourology, allowing for well tolerated and reliable percutaneous access to the kidney. After percutaneous access to the kidney is achieved, the narrowed ureter at the UPJ is incised in a full thickness fashion in the posterolateral position from the ureteral lumen to the periureteral fat. Success rates for this procedure are nearly 90% at high-volume centres. The ideal patient who has success with percutaneous endopyelotomy has a short segment of narrowing less than 2 cm, no crossing vessel, good ipsilateral renal function and mild hydronephrosis.

SUMMARY

Although the development of laparoscopic and robotic approaches to pyeloplasty has produced outcomes that surpass those of percutaneous endopyelotomy, it remains a viable option in the appropriately selected patient, but success rates tend to decrease with longer follow up.

Concomitant Treatment of Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction Complicated by Renal Calculi with Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty and Pyelolithotomy via 19.5F Rigid Nephroscope: A Report of 12 Cases

OBJECTIVE

To introduce our experience of concomitant laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) and pyelolithotomy via 19.5 F rigid nephroscope to treat ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) complicated with renal calculi.

METHODS

The data of 42 patients with UPJO who underwent LP from June 2016 to August 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Twelve patients with ipsilateral renal calculi underwent LP and concomitant pyelolithotomy via 19.5 F rigid nephroscope. Perioperative data of this group were compared with other 12 matched patients without calculi who underwent LP only.

RESULTS

Of 12 patients with renal calculi, only 4 patients had simple stone and the other 8 patients suffered complex stones. Anatomical solitary kidney was found in 2 patients. The mean diameter of the largest stone was 1.1 cm (ranged from 0.6 to 1.7). The mean operative time was 171 min, the mean time of nephroscopic management was 17.2 min, 7 patients received pyelolithotomy by forceps, 3 patients received pyelolithotomy and ultrasonic lithotripsy, 1 patient received ultrasonic lithotripsy, the mean number of stones retrieved was 8.9 (ranged from 0-53), in one case the calculus was inaccessible because it was located in a narrow neck caliceal diverticulum. Overall stone-free rate was 91.7% (11/12). No difference in operative time, postoperative hemoglobin drop, postoperative hospital stay and incidence of complications was observed between the 2 groups. At the mean follow-up of 17.9 months, no patients had obstruction or recurrent stones.

CONCLUSION

LP and concomitant pyelolithotomy via 19.5 F rigid nephroscope is a safe and feasible option to treat UPJO with renal calculi, with acceptable success rate and stone-free rate.

Technology Based Treatment for UreteroPelvic Junction Obstruction

Surgical management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) has historically been performed with open pyeloplasty. With the advent of endourology, laparoscopy, and robotics, minimally-invasive techniques have been described and accepted as alternatives to open surgery. Each of these approaches has its own advantages and disadvantages, equipment needs, degree of invasiveness, and experience of the treating urologist. Advocates and critics have their own say as to their preferred technique. In this article, we review the chronological evolution of these techniques and discuss their current role in the management of UPJO.

Single-center comparison of laparoscopic pyeloplasty, Acucise endopyelotomy, and open pyeloplasty

PURPOSE

To compare Acucise endopyelotomy (Applied Medical, Irvine, California), laparoscopic pyeloplasty, and open pyeloplasty in the treatment of ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of all adult patients undergoing surgical correction of UPJ obstruction between December 1999 and August 2001 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center was performed. Patients undergoing UPJ correction with Acucise endopyelotomy (N = 9), laparoscopic pyeloplasty (N = 16), and open pyeloplasty (N = 7) were compared in regard to demographic information, operative data, recovery parameters, cost data, and outcome (as determined by diuretic renography, the Whitaker test, or both).

RESULTS

Success rates of 56%, 94%, and 86% were obtained for Acucise endopyelotomy, laparoscopic pyeloplasty, and open pyeloplasty, respectively. There were no differences between the Acucise endopyelotomy and laparoscopic pyeloplasty groups in age, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score, length of follow-up, estimated blood loss (EBL), hospital stay, total hospital cost, or analgesic requirement. The Acucise patients demonstrated shorter operating times (1.7 v 3.3 hours; P < 0.001) and time to oral intake (7.9 v 16 hours; P = 0.008) than the laparoscopic pyeloplasty group. When the laparoscopic pyeloplasty patients were compared with the open pyeloplasty patients, there was no difference in operative time, EBL, time to oral intake, or total hospital costs. The laparoscopically treated patients demonstrated significantly lower analgesic requirements (27.2 v 124.2 mg of morphine sulfate equivalent; P = 0.02) and shorter hospital stays (1.4 v 3.0 days; P = 0.03) than the open surgery patients. The Acucise patients demonstrated shorter operative time (1.7 v 3.4 hours; P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (1.3 v 3.0 days; P = 0.02), and lower analgesic requirement (22.4 v 124.2 mg of morphine sulfate equivalent; P = 0.02) than the open surgery patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic pyeloplasty achieves a success rate equal to that of open pyeloplasty while providing a recovery similar to that obtained with Acucise endopyelotomy and is gaining popularity as the treatment of choice for UPJ obstruction.

Percutaneous endopyelotomy

Percutaneous endopyelotomy, introduced over 15 years ago, is a well-established alternative to open operative pyeloplasty for management of ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction. Although several variations of the technique have been described, the goal in all cases is to develop a full thickness incision though the obstructing proximal uretra that extends out to the peripyeloureteral fat and heals over an internal stent. Though a percutaneous endopyelotomy can be considered for almost any patient with primary or secondary UPJ obstruction, it is particularly valuable in the setting of upper tract stones that can then be managed simultaneously. This article reviews the indications, techniques, and outcomes of percutaneous endopyelotomy.

Novel hemostatic nephrostomy tube

Significant hemorrhage from the access site is an infrequent complication of percutaneous renal surgery. We developed a novel nephrostomy tube that combines the benefits of the re-entry Malecot design with those of the Kaye tamponade catheter. The new nephrostomy tube was successful in preventing significant bleeding in high-risk patients who had this tube placed after percutaneous nephrostolithomy. All of the patients tolerated the tube without complications. Preliminary results show that this tube is easy to insert, well tolerated by patients, and effective in preventing and stopping bleeding from a percutaneous access site and that it maintains ureteral access.