title: Endoscopic fetal urethrotomy for anterior urethral valves: a preliminary report.
abstract: Anterior urethral valves are a rare congenital anomaly associated with distal urethral obstruction, which can result in a poor prognosis. We report on the endoscopic creation of a fetal urethrotomy for obstructive uropathy resulting from anterior urethral valves. A 33-year-old woman was evaluated at 17 weeks gestation due to fetal megacystis. The diagnosis of anterior urethral valves was confirmed by the characteristic sonographic feature of a dilated membranous penile urethra. Oligohydramnios with normal-appearing kidneys and favorable urinary electrolytes led to fetal intervention. Ablation on the ventral site of the fetal penis for a cutaneous urethrotomy was performed using a YAG laser under a 1-mm fetoscope at 19 weeks gestation. Urine was drained from the incision and the dilated penis and the distended bladder shrunk with an increase in amniotic fluid. However, the fetus died unexpectedly on postoperative day 3, and chorioamnionitis was suspected as the etiology. While the outcome was unfavorable, our preliminary experience shows that fetal urethrotomy for obstructive uropathy can be achieved in utero using an endoscopic laser approach. Further experience will be required to evaluate the therapeutic value of this new procedure in the management of fetal anterior urethral valves.
authors.affiliation: Division of Fetal Medicine, Department of Perinatal Medicine and Maternal Care, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan. sagou-h@ncchd.go.jp
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sago
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueoka
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000209:etiology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005332:Fetoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D016104:Oligohydramnios / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D010413:Penis / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014521:Urethra / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014524:Urethral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery*; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*