title: Safety profile and complications of transperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty: a critical analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To critically assess the safety profile and complications of the transperitoneal approach to laparoscopic pyeloplasty at our center.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2002 to January 2004, 92 patients with a mean age of 22.78 +/- 15.15 years (range 14 months-65 years) with primary (N = 90) or secondary (N = 2) ureteropelvic junction obstruction were treated by transperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty and were evaluated for this study. Renal stones were present in eight patients. A double-J stent was placed antegrade in 50 patients and in the rest through cystoscopy. All patients were followed up clinically and by renal scan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 92 cases (93 renal units), 6 were converted to open pyeloplasty. Dismembered pyeloplasty was performed in 59, Fengerplasty in 8, and Foley Y-V-plasty in 20 units. A crossing vessel was present in 15 units (16.12%). The mean estimated blood loss was 63.6 mL (range, 30-200 mL). The mean operative time was 179.4 minutes (range 80-350 minutes). Overall, 17 patients (18.4%) had complications. Six patients had paralytic ileus and another six had increased drain output, which delayed the hospital stay to 7 days. Pyelonephritis and port-site hernia occurred in one patient each. Four patients required ancillary procedures: ureteroscopy for a migrating stent (1), percutaneous antegrade stenting (1), and SWL for residual stone (2). The mean hospital stay was 4 days (range 2-7 days). Of the 87 units (86 patients), 81 (93.3%) have shown improvement in symptoms and drainage pattern on renal scan at a mean followup of 12 (3-27) months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transperitoneal approach to pyeloplasty is safe and effective, although patients with large stone bulk and multiple stones should be considered for an alternative approach. The double-J stent should be checked carefully for proper placement. Hemostasis of the cut margin of the renal pelvis, watertight anastomosis, and adequate drainage should also be ensured.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology and Renal Transplantation, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, UP, India. mandhani@sgpgi.ac.in
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mandhani
authors.forename: Devendra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Anant
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: Aneesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: Mahendra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhandari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003558:Cystoscopy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000601:surgery; D007682:Kidney Pelvis / Q000601:surgery*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000601:surgery*