Renal transplantation experience following endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux

Abstract

The most efficacious treatment for end-stage renal disease is renal transplantation. Because high-grade vesicoureteral reflux forecasts potential future complications, the patients studied were subjected to bilateral nephroureterectomy before transplantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the posttransplantation results of a subureteral injection performed before transplantation to treat high-grade vesicoureteral reflux in end-stage renal disease patients. Renal transplantation was performed on 14 of 52 end-stage renal disease patients that had undergone prior subureteral injection. Subureteral injection had been performed in 24 refluxing renal units of these 14 patients. Ten patients had bilateral and 4 patients unilateral reflux. The treatment criterion was reflux of at least grade III; however, when low-grade reflux was present in the contralateral renal unit, it was also treated during the same session. Success was determined as no (complete) or decrease to grade I (partial) reflux. The patient ages ranged between 13 and 46 years (mean 29.3 years). The reflux resolved in 20 of 24 renal units (83%) and was reduced to grade I in 3 of the others (12%), namely resulting in a total response rate of 95%. Except for 1 patient who was lost to follow-up, the other recipients were observed for 6 to 47 months (mean 23 months). Only 1 patient experienced symptomatic urinary tract infection or asymptomatic bacteriuria after renal transplantation. Acute rejection occurred in 5 and chronic rejection in 3 patients. In conclusion, subureteral injection instead of nephroureterectomy seems to be an efficient and minimally invasive alternative for renal transplant recipients with high-grade vesicoureteral reflux.