Sodium fluorescein use during intraoperative cystoscopy.
BACKGROUND
Indigotindisulfonate sodium has been used during cystoscopy to identify the ureteral meatuses and to verify ureteral efflux during pelvic surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the shortage of indigotindisulfonate sodium in June 2014. Surgeons have since been searching for safe alternatives with comparable visualization and an economically favorable profile.


METHODS
The recent shortage of indigotindisulfonate sodium prompted our search for alternative options for visualizing ureteral patency during intraoperative cystoscopy. Multiple methods were considered, including instilling the bladder with D50 water, sterile water, or methylene blue-tinged saline and visualizing the contrast in either viscosity or color of the urine against the instilled medium, preoperative oral phenazopyridine, and intravenous methylene blue. Collectively, these methods proved suboptimal. As an alternative, we injected the 10% preparation of sodium fluorescein at 0.25-1 mL intravenously and observed a brilliant yellow ureteral jet minutes after injection (see Video 1).


RESULTS
Ten percent sodium fluorescein given intravenously in doses ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 cc results in good visualization of ureteral jets. One patient experienced transient yellowing of the sclera and palms.


CONCLUSIONS
Sodium fluorescein is an effective alternative to indigotindisulfonate sodium for visualization of ureteral jets during intraoperative cystoscopy.
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York.
Paula Jaye
PJ
Doyle
Lioudmilla
L
Lipetskaia
Erin
E
Duecy
Gunhilde
G
Buchsbaum
Ronald W
RW
Wood
D003558:Cystoscopy; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D019793:Fluorescein