Laparoscopic pyeloplasty for UPJ-obstruction with crossing vessels: contrast-enhanced color Doppler findings and long-term outcome

Objectives. 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.