Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux with polydimethylsiloxane in adults: do location and appearance of the ureteric orifice have a role in the success rates?

Vesicoureteral Reflux in Adults with Urinary Tract Infections: Is There a Role for Treatment?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Urinary tract infections (UTI) place a significant burden on individual patients and the healthcare system as a whole. Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a risk factor for UTIs and is the focus of much research in the pediatric field due to the opportunity for early intervention and prevention of long-term sequelae. However, VUR in the adult population is not well studied and can present different treatment challenges. The goal of this review article is to discuss the role VUR plays in UTIs in the adult population with a specific focus on complications and treatment.

RECENT FINDINGS

The true prevalence of VUR in the adult population remains unknown, and urologists need to maintain an index of suspicion for VUR when evaluating adult patients with recurrent pyelonephritis or complicated UTIs. A number of case series and smaller retrospective studies have documented successful endoscopic treatment of adult VUR patients with recurrent pyelonephritis. Ureteral reimplantation remains an option for adult patients who are refractory to endoscopic treatment of VUR. The current treatments and recommendations for VUR in adults have been extrapolated from the pediatric population due to the scarcity of research. VUR is uncommon in the adult population and requires a high index of suspicion by the clinician. Accurate diagnosis and treatment of VUR can relieve patients from recurrent infections, repetitive antibiotic use, and the risk of hospitalization.

Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux with non-simultaneous involuntary detrusor contraction in chronic spinal cord injury patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity

OBJECTIVE

To analyze whether it is correct to use endoscopic treatment via bulking agents of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) seen on video urodynamics with non-simultaneous involuntary detrusor contraction in chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO).

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed with a cohort of 76 patients (age 48.9 ± 14.4 years) (mean ± standard deviation) of both sexes with chronic SCI who underwent endoscopic treatment of VUR during the years 2008 to 2011. Patients were subjected to clinical examinations and video urodynamic studies preoperatively and 22 ± 11.4 months after the intervention.

RESULTS

Resolution of VUR was achieved in 46 cases (61%). Cured patients had a statistically significant younger age and showed stress urinary incontinence more frequently. On the contrary, a greater grade of VUR, presence of bilateral reflux and presence of NDO were positively associated with treatment failure. The variables that independently influenced the cure of the reflux were NDO and reflux grade.

CONCLUSIONS

The failure rate was high in patients with NDO, even though the reflux was not synchronous with involuntary detrusor contraction, and therefore these patients should have NDO eradicated before doing any anti-reflux procedures.

Prognostic factors of endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in spinal cord injured patients

INTRODUCTION

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is an important complication in patients with spinal cord injury due to its frequency and morbidity. One of the most extended therapeutic options is endoscopic injection of obliteration substances in the urethral meatus.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the prognostic factors of VUR treatment using obliterative substances in patients with spinal cord injury.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective study was performed in a cohort of 76 patients (age 48.9±14.4 years), of both genders, with spinal cord injuries, who underwent endoscopic treatment of the VUR during the years 2008 to 2011. In all the patients, a clinical history was obtained and a pre-operative videourodynamic study was performed. Another study was carried out at 7.32 months (standard deviation: 6.28 months) of the intervention. Treatment consisted in endoscopic injection of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (62 cases) and polydimethylsiloxane (14). The statistical tests applied were the Fisher's exact test and the Student's T test comparing the means. Bilateral significance level was established at 95%.

RESULTS

Resolution of VUR was achieved in 46 cases (61%). The statistically significant prognostic factors were age (younger aging cured patients), bilaterality and reflects great (greater grade in bilaterality in the cases with persistence of reflux) and presence of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (greater percentage in the cases of reflux persistence). Stress urinary incontinence (greater percentage in cured patients), contractile potency (lower percentage in cured patients) and urethral resistance (greater percentage in cured patients) were also statistically significant prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Among the prognostic factors that affected the endoscopic treatment results of the VUR in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD), anatomical as well as functional factors were found.

Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in an adult population: Can we teach our adult urology colleagues?

OBJECTIVE

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is not well described or understood in adults. Since endoscopic correction of VUR has become a first-line therapy in children, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of this technique in adult patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In 1988-2008, 49 adult patients (6 males, 43 females) with a mean age of 33.6 years (range 18-64) underwent endoscopic treatment of VUR. Reflux was unilateral in 17 (34.7%) and bilateral in 32 (65.3%) patients, comprising 81 renal refluxing units (RRU). Of these, 71 (87.7%) were primary VUR. Reflux was Grade I in 14 (17%), Grade II in 46 (56.8%), Grade III in 17 (21%) and Grade IV in 4 (4.9%) RRU. Median renal function at surgery was 41.2%. Endoscopic correction utilized polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) in 38 (77.6%) and dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer in 11 (22.4%) patients. Recurrent febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) was the only indication for surgery. Grade I VUR was treated only in patients with contralateral high-grade VUR.

RESULTS

The reflux was corrected in 63 (77.8%) RRU after a single injection, after second injection in 9 (10.6%) and after third in 4 (4.8%) RRU. In 3 (3.5%) RRU, VUR improved to Grade I. In 2 (2.4%), endoscopic correction failed, leading to open reimplantation. One patient with corrected VUR underwent nephrectomy due to non-functioning kidney and recurrent pyelonephritis. Fourteen (28.6%) patients suffered afebrile UTI. Five (10.2%) developed febrile UTI following successful endoscopic correction, leading to a diagnosis of VUR recurrence in two (4.1%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic correction of VUR in adults is a simple and effective procedure, as in pediatric practice.

[Vesico-ureteric reflux treatment by implant of polydimethylsiloxane (Macroplastique): Review of the literature]

PURPOSE

During the last 25years, endoscopic correction of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) has become a well-recognized procedure. However, the nature of the bulking agent used has led to many controversies. The objective of this work was to perform a literature review on the use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS or Macroplastique) in VUR.

METHOD

A PubMed review of the literature since 1996 resulted in the selection of 24 studies of sufficient level of evidence to assess the efficacy and tolerance of Macroplastique in the VUR in adults and children.

RESULTS

The overall success rate at 1 year, 2 years and 9-years follow-up was respectively 86-93 %, 80-92 %, and 77-100 %, which confirms the maintenance of good results over time, notably in VUR grade III and above. The success rate was similar for primary and secondary VUR except for total duplicity. Predictive criterias of success were the surgeon's experience, the low grade of VUR, and the absence of previous injection. In comparison with other bulking agents, the higher viscosity and absence of shrinkage of the product increase its reliability. After more than 12years of use, no serious complication has been reported in the literature, reflecting the good tolerance of Macroplastique on the long term.

CONCLUSION

The studies published on the use of Macroplastique in VUR confirmed its efficacy, around 85 % of success for all grades, in children and adults as well. The interest of PDMS is linked to its higher viscosity promoting a better reliability and reproducibility of the technique and its non-resorbable nature providing a permanent result, especially valuable in high-grade VUR with anatomical anomaly of the vesicoureteral junction or in VUR secondary to permanent lower urinary tract dysfunction.