The Efficiency and Safety of Endoscopic Treatment on Kidney-Transplanted Patients With Symptomatic Vesicoureteral Reflux in Native and Transplanted Renal Units

Abstract

ObjectivesTo evaluate the outcome of endoscopic treatment of symptomatic vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in patients with VUR in both transplanted and native renal units. Material and MethodsBetween January 2014 and December 2019, 23 transplanted patients with symptomatic VUR with reflux in both transplanted and native kidney were included in the study. All patients were patients with a history of kidney failure due to reflux nephropathy. A voiding cystourethrography was performed after at least 1 episode of acute glomerulo pyelonephritis or deterioration of the graft function. All patients underwent a urine culture and an ultrasonic evaluation preoperatively. A dextranomer/hyaluronic acid bulking agent was injected via endoscope by a rigid metal needle around a double J stent. Clinical success was defined as absent of febrile urinary tract infection during the follow-up period. ResultsThe procedure was applied in 52 effected renal units; of these, 27 were transplanted kidneys, and 25 were native kidneys. Overall clinical success was achieved in 69.6% (N = 16) of patients. The success rate after the first procedure was 52.2% (N = 12), whereas 17.3% (N = 4) achieved success after the second treatment. No intraoperative complications occurred throughout the endoscopic procedure. Minor postoperative complications included 2 (10%) cases of self-limiting episodes of hematuria that did not require intervention. ConclusionEndoscopic treatment of symptomatic VUR for both transplanted ureter and native ureter is a safe treatment in most of the patients. Therefore, endoscopic ureteral injection is a treatment modality with low morbidity that should be preferred to open surgery as first-line treatment in this subgroup of patients.