Influence of postnatal hydroureter in determining the need for voiding cystourethrogram in children with high-grade hydronephrosis

Objective

To evaluate the utility of hydroureter (HU) to identify high-grade vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR) in patients with high-grade postnatal hydronephrosis (PH).

Patients and methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients’ charts that had antenatal hydronephrosis from 2008 to 2014. Patients were excluded if they presented with febrile urinary tract infection (fUTI), neurogenic bladder, posterior urethral valve, multi-cystic dysplastic kidney, and multiple congenital malformations. We reviewed postnatal ultrasonography images and patients with Society of Fetal Urology (SFU) Grades 3 and 4 hydronephrosis with a renal pelvic antero-posterior diameter of ≥10 mm were included. The ureter was assessed and considered dilated if the ureteric diameter was  ≥4 mm. The voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) studies, fUTI incidence, and surgical reports were reviewed.

Results

Of the 654 patients reviewed, we included 148 patients (164 renal units) of whom 113 (76.4%) were male and 35 (23.6%) female. SFU Grade 3 PH was identified in 49% of the renal units, with the remaining 51% being SFU Grade 4. HU was found in 50/164 renal units and was not detected in the remaining 114 units. VUR was diagnosed in four units (3.5%) without HU (low-grade VUR); whilst it was detected in 19 units (38%) with HU (72.7% were high-grade VUR) (P < 0.001). VUR was diagnosed on the contralateral side in four/105 patients with PH without HU and diagnosed in 10/43 patients with PH with HU (P < 0.001). During a median follow-up of 25.9 months, none of the renal units that had VUR without HU developed UTI or had surgeries.

Conclusion

Low-grade uncomplicated VUR was diagnosed in 3.5% of renal units without HU. Our results support limiting the use of VCUG to renal units with PH if associated with HU.

Voiding dysfunction in women: How to manage it correctly. Arab J Urol. 2013;11:319-330. [PMID: 26558099 PMCID: PMC4443013 DOI: 10.1016/j.aju.2013.07.005]

INTRODUCTION

Of women aged >40 years, 6% have voiding dysfunction (VD), but the definition for VD in women with respect to detrusor underactivity (DU) and bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) is not yet clear. In this review we address the current literature to define the diagnosis and treatment of VD more accurately.

METHODS

We used the PubMed database (1975-2012) and searched for original English-language studies using the keywords 'female voiding dysfunction', 'detrusor underactivity', 'acontractile detrusor' and 'bladder outlet obstruction and urinary retention in women'. We sought studies including the prevalence, aetiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of female VD.

RESULTS

In all, 20 original studies were identified using the selected search criteria, and another 45 were extracted from the reference lists of the original papers. All studies were selected according to their relevance to the current topic and the most pertinent reports were incorporated into this review.

CONCLUSION

Female VD might be related to DU or/and BOO. Voiding and storage symptoms can coexist, making the diagnosis challenging, with the need for a targeted clinical investigation, and further evaluation by imaging and urodynamics. To date there is no universally accepted precise diagnostic criterion to diagnose and quantify DU and BOO in women. For therapy, a complete cure might not be possible for patients with VD, therefore relieving the symptoms and minimising the long-term complications associated with it should be the goal. Treatment options are numerous and must be applied primarily according to the underlying pathophysiology, but also considering disease-specific considerations and the abilities and needs of the individual patient. The treatment options range from behavioural therapy, intermittent (self-)catheterisation, and electrical neuromodulation and neurostimulation, and up to urinary diversion in rare cases.