Measurement and analysis of prevertebral soft tissue width of cervicothoracic region using magnetic resonance images

Objective: To report our experience with open dismembered pyeloplasty for uretero-pelvic junction obstruction.

Methods: Retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Urology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi for a period of five and half years from May, 2006 to December, 2011. All patients with uretero-pelvic junction obstruction were entered into a database to record patients clinical features, diagnostic tools, operative and post-operative details and follow-up. Over a five-years period, 13 procedures were performed. After clinical evaluation all patient had extensive haematological and radiological workup for diagnosis of uretero-pelvic junction obstruction. All were subjected to open pyeloplasties, out of these 13 patients; one had an aberrant lower pole vessel compressing uretero-pelvic-junction. All procedures were stented. Repair was done with 3/0 vicryl sutures all patients were catheterized and wound drained.

Results: Mean operating time was 60 – 100 minutes with about 100cc blood loss requiring no transfusion. The mean follow up was one year. One patient developed post-operative haematuria and was managed conservatively. Two patients developed fever secondary to urinary tract infection despite adequate treatment of urinary tract infection according to culture and sensitivity pre-operatively. One patient developed surgical emphysema detected post-operatively, which required tube thoracostomy. Neither patient developed recurrent symptoms nor had any evidence of obstruction on the renogram on follow-up. Objectively all patients were followed up by intravenous urogram, stress renogram, Urine C/S. Subjective and objective follow-up revealed success in 100% of patients whereas success is defined as no or minimal holder on DTPA renogram, improving renal function and decreasing dilatation on successive intravenous urogram. All patients had a mean post-operative hospital stay of 02 – 04 days Folley catheter was removed after 10-days, double-j- stents were removed after two to three weeks.

Conclusion: Our success rate following open pyeloplasty with limited follow-up was 100%. It is comparable with International data. Recent international trend is toward Uretro-pelvic Junction Obstruction (UPJO) repair with laparoscopic approach, they are claiming success rate of 95%.