Allograft Vesicoureteral Reflux after Kidney Transplantation

Allograft vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a leading urological complication of kidney transplantation. Despite the relatively high incidence, there is a lack of consensus regarding VUR risk factors, impact on renal function, and management. Dialysis vintage and atrophic bladder have been recognized as the most relevant recipient-related determinants of post-transplant VUR, whilst possible relationships with sex, age, and ureteral implantation technique remain debated. Clinical manifestations vary from an asymptomatic condition to persistent or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Voiding cystourethrography is widely accepted as the gold standard diagnostic modality, and the reflux is generally graded following the International Reflux Study Committee Scale. Long-term transplant outcomes of recipients with asymptomatic grade I-III VUR are yet to be clarified. On the contrary, available data suggest that symptomatic grade IV-V VUR may lead to progressive allograft dysfunction and premature transplant loss. Therapeutic options include watchful waiting, prolonged antibiotic suppression, sub-mucosal endoscopic injection of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer at the site of the ureteral anastomosis, and surgery. Indication for specific treatments depends on recipient’s characteristics (age, frailty, compliance with antibiotics), renal function (serum creatinine concentration < 2.5 vs. ≥ 2.5 mg/dL), severity of UTIs, and VUR grading (grade I-III vs. IV-V). Current evidence supporting surgical referral over more conservative strategies is weak. Therefore, a tailored approach should be preferred. Properly designed studies, with adequate sample size and follow-up, are warranted to clarify those unresolved issues.

Disorder of Sex Development, Mosaic Genetic Disorder 45x, 46xy: A Case Report

Background. Disorder of sex development (DSD) is a congenital disorder associated with interference in chromosomes, gonads, or sexes anatomically. Individual affected with DSD can be recognized since birth due to external genital ambiguity. Sexual chromosome DSD occurred because sexual chromosome numeric or structural disorder. Mosaic karyotype 45X/46XY is among the rare sexual chromosome DSD with incidence less than 1:15,000 live births. DSD individuals are susceptible to stigmatization. This can cause stress, negative emotion, and social isolation. Therefore, DSD individual management should be done as optimal as possible. Case Presentation: Twelve years old girl complaining a bump arose from anterior side of her genital resembles male genital since 4 years prior to admission without micturition and defecation complains. Patient has not experienced menarche. On external genital examination, we found the normal female external genital such as mons pubis, pubic hair, labia majora, labia minora, hymen, perineum, but without clitoris which in this case it is replaced by a glans of penis, arising from anterior commissure of labia majora area, with an urethral estuary. Before the management is done, patient underwent multidiscipline consultations and further examinations. Subsequently, it was approved that the joint conference formation consisting obstetric and gynecology, urologist, and pediatric endocrinologist to determine the optimal management for the patient. Conclusion: In this case, diagnosis was made with history taking, clinical examination, and supporting investigation such as ultrasound imaging and could be followed by biochemistry test, voiding cystourethrography or genitogram to determine next management. Counseling should be done in detail towards the family to know what action is best for the patient. Multidiscipline team was required to get the optimum result either in medical, ethical, or religious point of view. Surgery in this case was considered followed by long term therapy afterwards.

A Rare Case of Prostatic Utricle with Crossover Vas Deferens in Children

Background: A prostatic utricle (PU) is an unusual pathology with most patients being asymptomatic. However, approximately 29% of patients may show lower urinary tract symptoms, recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI), postvoid dribbling, urethral discharge, epididymo-orchitis, stones, and secondary incontinence caused by urine trapping in the pouch and urinary retention. The standard treatment is through surgical resection, but it is only offered to patients with symptoms. Case summary: We report a case involving a six-year-old boy with congenital hypothyroidism and penoscrotal hypospadias who had previously undergone onlay urethroplasty for the proximal shaft, chordee release, orchidopexy for bilateral undescended testis, and laparoscopic herniorrhaphy for left inguinal hernia. However, the patient later evolved the repetition of UTI and right epididymo-orchitis. Cyclic voiding cystourethrography confirmed the presence of a cystic lesion communicating with the prostatic urethra from the utricle. The PU was then excised laparoscopically. The utricle was identified posterior to the bladder, and insertions of the vas deferens crossover into the utricle were detected by laparoscopy. The post-procedure course was uneventful. Conclusions: Laparoscopic resection of PUs offers a better exposure field, improved wound appearance, complete resection, and reduces the incidence of complications. During laparoscopy, the PU was clearly distinguished from the bladder or other pelvic organs. An incidental finding of vas deferens crossover has rarely been reported. A combined cystoscopy and laparoscopy for PU resection is executable, safe, and valid in this patient population.

Verumontanum Polyp in an Adult Man: Diagnosis by Ultrasonography

The fibroepithelial polyp of the urethra is rare in adults. Hematuria and obstructive urinary symptoms are the most common findings. The investigation of these polyps usually includes imaging exams (voiding cystourethrography and ultrasonography) and urinary endoscopy. However, the diagnosis is primarily established by pathology. Ultrasonography can aid in diagnosis, as it can identify a polypoid lesion that can extend to the bladder neck, and cystourethroscopy allows the direct visualization of the lesion. We report this case of a polyp of the prostatic urethra in an adult male using prospective real-time sonographic diagnosis.

Clinical Characteristics of Febrile Urinary Tract Infection and Application of Thai Guideline Imaging Recommendations Compared between Children Aged 2 Months to 2 Years and Children Aged 2 to 5 Years

Background: In 2014, the Thai Pediatric Nephrology Association (TPNA) launched a guideline for febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) in children aged two months to five years. Renal and bladder ultrasound (RBUS) is recommended for first febrile UTI, and voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is recommended in patients with at least one of eight proposed risk factors. Objective: To compare characteristics of febrile urinary tract infection (UTI), compliance with the imaging study recommendation regarding to the TPNA guide, and kidney, ureter, and bladder (KUB) abnormality detections between children aged two months to two years and older than two years to five years. Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective study, reviewed children aged two months to five years presenting with first or recurrent episode of febrile UTI between 2014 and 2019 at Siriraj Hospital. Clinical parameters during febrile UTI, indications to perform VCUG, and kidney, ureter, and bladder (KUB) abnormality detections were compared between the younger group and the older group. RBUS and VCUG undergone according to the recommendation were accounted for the compliance. Results: The mean age of 259 younger and of 51 older age children was 8.2±5.6 and 40.0±10.9 months, respectively. Female gender (p=0.01), complaint of constipation (p=0.03), abnormal bladder emptying (p<0.01), and renal impairment (p=0.03) were more frequent in the older than the younger. Overall imaging study compliance was 73.9% and the KUB abnormality detection was 16.5%. High-grade vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was more common than low-grade VUR. The rates of compliance (p=0.45) and KUB abnormality detections (p=0.54) between the younger and older children were not different. Conclusion: Female gender, and bladder and bowel dysfunction were associated to febrile UTI in older children. The TPNA febrile UTI guideline imaging recommendation was shown to be applicable in both younger and older children. Keywords: Clinical characteristics; Febrile urinary tract infection; Thai guideline imaging recommendations; Renal and bladder ultrasound; Voiding cystourethrography

Voiding cystourethrography in children: spectrum of findings with clinical correlation

Background Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is a gold standard diagnostic tool in the detection of lower urinary tract structural abnormalities in children. Objective To study the spectrum of different urinary tract abnormalities that could be detected in pediatric patients who underwent VCUG. Methods A retrospective study was carried at pediatric radiology unit Ain Shams university hospitals, starting from March 2019 till September 2019. Spectrum of findings were quantified in relation to patients’ symptoms. The number of true acquisitions and fluoroscopic frames, as well as the time of examination, were used as an indicator for radiation dose exposure. Results Out of 134 patients who were included in our study and underwent VCUG, the majority was males (n = 85, 63.4%) and patients who had more than 24 months and less than 216 months with median (IQR) 72 (48-108)months being (n = 82, 61.2%). We found that half of the cases had abnormal VCUG findings (n = 67, 50%). The most common abnormality was vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) (n = 38, 28.4%) followed by bladder abnormalities (n = 14, 10.5%).The commonest presented complaint was urinary tract infection symptoms (n = 58, 43.3%). Infants below 24 months of age showed more abnormal findings than older children. Males showed more abnormal findings than females. High-grade VUR (IV-V) was more frequent than low grade. Both recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) and bladder abnormalities were found to be strong predictors for VUR (p = 0.019 and 0.013, respectively). The median (IQR) of static films within patients who had abnormal VCUG findings was greater than the median (IQR) of static films within patients who had normal VCUG findings being 7.0 (7.0 – 8.0) versus 6.0 (5.0 – 7.0), respectively with a significant statistically difference (F = 6.571, p = 0.011). Conclusion VCUG can detect different lower urinary abnormalities in children. VUR is the commonest encountered finding during VCUG, especially among patients with recurrent UTI.

Safety and parents´ acceptance of ultrasound contrast agents in children and adolescents – contrast enhanced voiding urosonography and contrast enhanced ultrasound

Aims: To evaluate the safety of the contrast enhanced voiding urosonography (ceVUS) and contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in children and adolescence and to receive data about parents’ acceptance of intravesical and intravenous application of sulfur hexafluoride.Material and methods: In this prospective, single centre study conducted over a 1 year study period, parents of 56 children (f/m=32/24; mean age 3.1 years; range 3 weeks - 15.9 years) with ceVUS and of 30 children (f/m=15/15; mean age 10.5 years; range 2 months - 17.7 years) with CEUS agreed to be included. A standardized telephone survey about the acceptance of the parents during and after the procedure as well as the adverse events (AE) were conducted within three days of the examination.Results: The parents would agree with the use of both ceVUS and CEUS as a diagnostic tool again in 96% (54/56) or 100% (30/30) of the cases, respectively and 92.9% (52/56) would prefer ceVUS to voiding cystourethrography (VCUG). In addition, 83.3% (25/30) would prefer CEUS to CT and 73.3% (22/30) would prefer CEUS to MRI. AE were reported in 3.6% after ceVUS (2/56; skin rash, mild fever) and in 3.3% after CEUS (1/30; vomiting). AE were subacute and self‑limited.Conclusions: The vast majority of parents prefer ceVUS and CEUS to VCUG, CT or MRI because of the safety profile of the contrast agent and diagnostic accuracy.

Safety assessment and diagnostic evaluation of patients undergoing contrast-enhanced urosonography in the setting of vesicoureteral reflux confirmation

BACKGROUND: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) represents a common pediatric anomaly in children with an upper urinary tract infection (UTI) and is defined as a retrograde flow of urine from the bladder into the upper urinary tract. There are many diagnostic options available, including voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) and contrasted-enhanced urosonography (ceVUS). ceVUS combines a diagnostic tool with a high sensitivity and specificity which, according to previous study results, was even shown to be superior to VCUG. Nevertheless, despite the recommendation of the EFSUMB, the ceVUS has not found a widespread use in clinical diagnostics in Europe yet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2016 and 2020, 49 patients with a marked female dominance (n = 37) were included. The youngest patient had an age of 5 months, the oldest patient 60 years. The contrast agent used in ceVUS was SonoVue®, a second-generation blood-pool agent. All examinations were performed and interpreted by a single experienced radiologist (EFSUMB Level 3). RESULTS: The 49 patients included in the study showed no adverse effects. 51%of patients (n = 26) were referred with the initial diagnosis of suspected VUR, while 49%of patients (n = 23) came for follow-up examination or to rule out recurrence of VUR. The vast majority had at least one febrile urinary tract infection in their recent medical history (n = 45; 91,8%). CONCLUSION: ceVUS is an examination method with a low risk profile which represents with its high sensitivity and specificity an excellent diagnostic tool in the evaluation of vesicoureteral reflux, especially in consideration of a generally very young patient cohort.