Long-Term Follow-Up of Children with Surgically Treated Vesicorenal Reflux: Renal Growth

Abstract

Renal growth after successful surgical correction of vesicoureterorenal reflux (VUR) in childhood was observed in 137 female and 22 male patients over a mean follow-up period of 10.5 years. The renal parenchymal area was determined using a compensatory planimeter. For each measured value, the standard deviation score (SDS) was calculated by comparison with a normal population. On average, renal growth after reflux operation nearly paralleled the expected normal growth rate. Scarred kidneys had a worse growth prognosis than refluxing renal units (RU) without renal damage, growth retardation being correlated with the degree of pyelonephritic changes. The diminished growth rate of scarred kidneys was accompanied by a compensatory growth of the contralateral kidney. In the absence of renal scars, a modest tendency toward growth retardation was seen in kidneys with previously high degrees of VUR. In 39.7% of the unscarred RU with an initial SDS less than -0.5, accelerated growth (change in SDS of 0.5 or more) was observed. Accelerated growth was most accentuated on small unscarred kidneys (initial SDS less than -2.0).