title: Laparoscopic pyeloplasty for UPJ obstruction with crossing vessels: contrast-enhanced color Doppler findings and long-term outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate, in the present long-term follow-up study, contrast-enhanced color Doppler imaging (CDI) findings and the clinical outcome of patients with crossing vessels at the obstructed ureteropelvic junction (UPJ), who underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasty. In a previous study, contrast-enhanced CDI proved capable of detecting crossing vessels at the UPJ.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 23 patients, who had undergone laparoscopic pyeloplasty and displacement of crossing vessels for UPJ obstruction at least 2 years before this study (mean 27 months), underwent contrast-enhanced CDI, intravenous urography, and renography. Contrast-enhanced CDI was performed using intravenously administered Levovist to assess the displacement of the vessels relative to the UPJ. All patients completed analog follow-up pain scales and quality-of-life assessment questionnaires. RESULTS. Contrast-enhanced CDI revealed a cranial displacement (mean 1.3 cm) of the crossing vessels from the UPJ in all 23 cases. Intravenous urography showed a decrease in the degree of hydronephrosis, with a success rate of 100% in low-grade and 86% in high-grade hydronephrosis. The split renal function improved from 39.7% to 48.1%. Analog pain scale measurements demonstrated a mean improvement in pain of 92% (range 73% to 100%) and a mean quality-of-life score of 94 (range 78 to 100).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our series of patients with crossing vessels at the UPJ treated by laparoscopic pyeloplasty showed an excellent long-term successful outcome. Contrast-enhanced CDI allows for preoperative detection, as well as postoperative assessment, of the displacement of the crossing vessel. We recommend that the presence of a crossing vessel be routinely determined preoperatively, because it may influence the choice of treatment modality and thereby the clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Ferdinand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frauscher
authors.forename: Guenter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Janetschek
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klauser
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peschel
authors.forename: Ethan J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pallwein
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Helweg
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: zur Nedden
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bartsch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011134:Polysaccharides; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011134:Polysaccharides; C059891:SHU 508