Ultrasound Examination Of Urinary Tract Research Articles

A survey of clinical practice concerning long-term follow-up of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction due to spinal cord injury in Italy

Context/objective This study aimed to assess the clinical practice for long-term follow-up (FU) of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) due to spinal cord injury (SCI) in Italy and compare this practice with the clinical practice in other countries and with the international guidelines. Design Data concerning the long-term urological FU of individuals with SCI were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. Setting Twenty-one Italian centers following SCI patients. Participants One physician at each center (either a permanent staff member or chief). Outcome Measures Questions addressed the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI), frequency of visits, urinary tract imaging examinations and urodynamic tests (UD), distinguishing between suprasacral and sacral SCI. Results Nineteen out of 21 centers completed the survey. In most centers, patients were recommended to undergo a visit and an ultrasound examination of urinary tract (UT) at least once a year. While the median interval between FU visits was identical (12 months) for individuals with suprasacral and sacral SCI, the two interval distributions were significantly different (suprasacral SCI: min–max 4–18, IQR = 6; sacral SCI: min–max 6–24; IQR = 8.5; P = 0.02), showing people with suprasacral SCI are followed up more often. Approximately 80% of the surveyed centers performed scheduled UD, with a yearly median frequency of 12 months (range 6–36) for patients with suprasacral SCI, as compared to a median frequency of 18 months for sacral SCI (range 0–36, P = 0.04). VideoUD and antibiotic prophylaxis for recurrent UTIs are carried out only by urologists in 63% and 47.4% of the centers, respectively. Overall, Italian centers share common strategies that compare to standards, including yearly visits, yearly UT examinations and stricter follow-up of people with suprasacral SCI, but may not have standard protocols for antibiotic prophylaxis of UTI, and in few cases control visits and UD are carried out too often. Conclusions Even though most Italian centers follow up patients with NLUTD secondary to SCI according to international guidelines, heterogeneity in frequency of FU examinations still exists. A tailored approach to the SCI patient that minimizes unnecessary examinations and groups different tests in a single access could improve patients’ compliance with FU and reduce costs for the Health system.

Substandard urological care of elderly patients with spinal cord injury: an unrecognized epidemic?

BackgroundWe report the anecdotal observation of substandard urological care of elderly paraplegic patients in the community suffering from long-term sequelae of spinal cord injuries. This article is designed to increase awareness of a problem that is likely underreported and may represent the ‘tip of the iceberg’ related to substandard care provided to the vulnerable population of elderly patients with chronic neurological impairment.FindingsA registered Nurse changed the urethral catheter of an 80-year-old-male with paraplegia; patient developed profuse urethral bleeding and septicaemia. Ultrasound revealed balloon of Foley catheter located in membranous urethra. Flexible cystoscopy was performed and a catheter was inserted over a guide wire. Urethral bleeding recurred 12 days later. This patient was discharged after protracted stay in spinal unit. A nurse changed urethral catheter in an 82-year-old male with paraplegia. The catheter did not drain urine; patient developed pain in lower abdomen. The balloon of Foley catheter was visible behind the urethral meatus, which indicated that the balloon had been inflated in penile urethra. The catheter was removed and a 16 French Foley catheter was inserted per urethra. About 1300 ml of urine was drained. A 91-year-old lady with paraplegia underwent routine ultrasound examination of urinary tract by a Consultant Radiologist, who reported a 4 cm × 3 cm soft tissue mass in the urinary bladder. Cystoscopy was performed without anaesthesia in lithotomy position. Cystoscopy revealed normal bladder mucosa; no stones; no tumour. Following cystoscopy, the right knee became swollen and there was deformity of lower third of right thigh. X-ray revealed fracture of lower third of right femur. Femoral fracture was treated by immobilisation in full plaster cast. Follow-up ultrasound examination of urinary tract, performed by a senior Radiologist, revealed normal outline of urinary bladder with no tumour or calculus.ConclusionThe adverse outcomes can be averted if elderly spinal cord injury patients are treated by senior, experienced health professionals, who are familiar with changes in body systems due to old age, compounded further by spinal cord injury.

Pyonephrosis and urosepsis in a 41-year old patient with spina bifida: Case report of a preventable death

BackgroundUrological complications are the major cause of ill health in patients with spina bifida. Urinary sepsis accounted for the majority of admissions in patients with spina bifida. As the patient grows older, changes occur in the adult bladder, leading to increases in storage pressure and consequent risk of deterioration of renal function, which may occur insidiously.Case presentationA 34-year-old male spinal bifida patient had been managing neuropathic bladder by penile sheath. Intravenous urography revealed normal kidneys. This patient was advised intermittent catheterisations. But self-catheterisation was not possible because of long, overhanging prepuce and marked spinal curvature. This patient developed repeated urine infections. Five years later, ultrasound examination of urinary tract revealed hydronephrotic right kidney with echogenic debris within the collecting system. There was no evidence of dilatation of the ureter near the vesicoureteric junction. The left kidney appeared normal. There was no evidence of calculus disease seen in either kidney. Indwelling urethral catheter drainage was established.Two years later, MAG-3 renogram revealed normal uptake and excretion by left kidney. The right kidney showed little functioning tissue. Following a routine change of urethral catheter this patient became unwell. Ultrasound examination revealed hydronephrotic right kidney containing thick hyper-echoic internal septations and debris in the right renal pelvis suspicious of pyonephrosis. Under both ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance, an 8 French pig tail catheter was inserted into the right renal collecting system. 150 ml of turbid urine was aspirated immediately. This patient developed large left pleural effusion, collapse/consolidation of the left lower lobe, a large fluid collection in the abdomen extending into the pelvis and expired twenty days later because of sepsis and respiratory failure.ConclusionAlthough penile sheath drainage may be convenient for a spina bifida patient and the carers, hydronephrosis can occur insidiously. With recurrent urine infections, hydronephrotic kidney can become pyonephrosis, which is life-threatening. Therefore, every effort should be made to carry out intermittent catheterisations along with antimuscarinic drug therapy.

Hydronephrosis and renal failure following inadequate management of neuropathic bladder in a patient with spinal cord injury: Case report of a preventable complication

BackgroundCondom catheters are indicated in spinal cord injury patients in whom intravesical pressures during storage and voiding are safe. Unmonitored use of penile sheath drainage can lead to serious complications.Case reportA 32-year old, male person, sustained complete paraplegia at T-11 level in 1985. He had been using condom catheter. Eleven years after sustaining spinal injury, intravenous urography showed no radio-opaque calculus, normal appearances of kidneys, ureters and bladder. Blood urea and Creatinine were within reference range. A year later, urodynamics revealed detrusor pressure of 100 cm water when detrusor contraction was initiated by suprapubic tapping. This patient was advised intermittent catheterisation and take anti-cholinergic drug orally; but, he wished to continue penile sheath drainage. Nine years later, this patient developed bilateral hydronephrosis and renal failure. Indwelling urethral catheter drainage was established. Five months later, ultrasound examination of urinary tract revealed normal kidneys with no evidence of hydronephrosis.ConclusionSpinal cord injury patients with high intravesical pressure should not have penile sheath drainage as these patients are at risk for developing hydronephrosis and renal failure. Intermittent catheterisation along with antimuscarinic drug should be the preferred option for managing neuropathic bladder.

A Comparative Study of Ultrasound Examination of Urinary Tract Performed on Spinal Cord Injury Patients with No Urinary Symptoms and Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Symptoms Related to Urinary Tract: Do Findings of Ultrasound Examination Lead to Changes in Clinical Management?

A Comparative Study of Ultrasound Examination of Urinary Tract Performed on Spinal Cord Injury Patients with No Urinary Symptoms and Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Symptoms Related to Urinary Tract: Do Findings of Ultrasound Examination Lead to Changes in Clinical Management?

A Comparative Study of Ultrasound Examination of Urinary Tract Performed on Spinal Cord Injury Patients with No Urinary Symptoms and Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Symptoms Related to Urinary Tract: Do Findings of Ultrasound Examination Lead to Changes in Clinical Management?

Findings of ultrasound examination of the urinary tract and changes in clinical management, which were instituted on the basis of ultrasound examination, were compared between two groups of spinal cord injury patients. Group 1 had no urinary symptoms when they underwent the scan, whereas group 2 was comprised of patients with symptoms pertaining to the urinary tract. Between 2000 and 2006, ultrasound examination of the urinary tract was performed in 87 spinal cord injury patients who had no urinary symptoms when they underwent the ultrasound scan. No abnormality was found in 63 patients. The ultrasound scan showed some abnormality of the urinary tract in 24 patients (simple cyst in the kidney: 4; reduced size of a kidney: 3; increased echogenicity of left kidney: 1; prominent extrarenal pelvis and mild calyceal dilatation: 1; slightly dilated renal pelvis and calyceal system: 1; pelvic kidney showing mild hydronephrosis: 1; foetal lobulation of kidney: 2; multicystic kidney with no interval change in the appearance since last examination: 1; 2-cm-diameter parapelvic cyst: 1; small renal calyceal calculus: 5; a little cortical scarring bilaterally: 1; focal renal scar: 2; generalised thinning of renal cortex: 3; increase in renal sinus fat: 3; trabeculated bladder: 2; small vesical diverticulum: 1; mild generalised bladder wall thickening: 1; small residual urine in postvoid scan; 2). No specific interventions were performed in these patients on the basis of ultrasound findings. In Group 2, ultrasound examination revealed serious abnormalities such as hydronephrosis, pyonephrosis, vesical calculi, vesical polyp in 20 of 21 patients, and all 20 patients required therapeutic intervention on the basis of ultrasound scan findings.In conclusion, routine ultrasound examination of the urinary tract in spinal cord injury patients who have no urinary symptoms may not be justifiable in terms of cost effectiveness; limited hospital resources should be directed to spinal cord injury patients with urinary symptoms so that ultrasound examination and therapeutic interventions based on ultrasound findings are carried out expeditiously.

Vesicoureteral reflux in male and female neonates as detected by voiding ultrasonography

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is assumed to be congenital, and its early diagnosis is desired in order to prevent acquired renal damage. However, the incidence of VUR in neonates remains to be revealed. Two thousand newborn babies (1048 boys and 952 girls) underwent voiding ultrasonography (an ultrasound examination of urinary tract during provoked voiding). Those who showed transient renal pelvic dilation during voiding, who had small kidneys, or who subsequently developed urinary infection underwent voiding cystourethrography. Transient renal pelvic dilation was observed in 16 babies (0.8%), including one boy with small kidneys. Among the rest of the babies, one boy had a small kidney, and nine babies subsequently developed urinary infection. Voiding cystourethrography revealed VUR in 24 ureters of 16 children (11 boys and 5 girls). Dimercaptosuccinate renoscintigraphy confirmed small kidneys, with generally reduced tracer uptake in a total of three boys, all having VUR. Voiding ultrasonography detected transient renal pelvic dilation in 17 (71%) of the 24 kidneys with VUR and, strikingly, 16 of the 17 (94%) kidneys with high-grade VUR (grade III or more). This study effectively detected VUR in 0.8% of the neonates (mostly of high grades and predominantly in males) and voiding ultrasonography showed a decided usefulness for the detection of VUR. The male preponderance of VUR in neonates was considered to be due to the occurrence of congenitally small kidneys, with reflux found exclusively in males and easier ultrasound detection of VUR in male neonates because the majority of diagnoses are reported to be high grades of VUR.