The use of endoluminal ultrasonography for preventing significant bleeding during endopyelotomy: evaluation of helical computed tomography vs endoluminal ultrasonography for detecting crossing vessels.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate, in a prospective study, the efficiency of helical computed tomography (CT) and endoluminal ultrasonography (ELUS) for detecting significant crossing vessels, a major cause of bleeding complications when treating patients with pelvi-ureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction, and to compare our results using ELUS with those of an earlier multicentre study (not using ELUS), to see whether the complication rate decreased.


METHODS
The study included 27 patients with a PUJ who had isotope renography, intravenous urography, helical CT and ELUS before surgery. Depending on the findings of ELUS, patients were treated with a pure lateral Acucise incision (Applied Medical, Irvine, CA, USA) an Acucise with changed cutting direction, or (later) a laparoscopic pyeloplasty.


RESULTS
ELUS detected 15% more crossing vessels than helical CT; 16 patients had Acucise (seven lateral, nine other cutting direction), eight were treated with a laparoscopic pyeloplasty and three with other procedures. By contrast with earlier reports and as a consequence of using ELUS, there was no bleeding, vs 16% in the study not using ELUS. The success rate of 73% of the endourological approach is comparable with previous reports.


CONCLUSIONS
ELUS is more sensitive in detecting relevant crossing vessels than helical CT and therefore the use of ELUS can better prevent bleeding complications. ELUS can also improve the success rate by helping in selecting the correct treatment. Because it is minimally invasive and safe, ELUS combined with Acucise (or other possible endourological techniques, like holmium laser incision) should be the first choice of treatment for PUJ stenosis.
Urology, Catharina Hospital, Postbus 1350, 5602 AZ Eindhoven, the Netherlands. ad.hendrikx@cze.nl
Ad J M
AJ
Hendrikx
Sven
S
Nadorp
Nicole A M
NA
De Beer
Joost B
JB
Van Beekum
Stavros
S
Gravas
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019160:Endosonography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007682:Kidney Pelvis / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods; D014513:Ureter / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*