IntroductionVesicoureteral reflux (VUR) occurs in 20–50% of children suffering from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and is associated with an increased risk of renal scarring and impaired renal function. Early detection of renal perfusion deterioration would allow for the implementation of more aggressive treatment and potentially prevent further damage to the renal parenchyma. The aim of the study was to assess renal parenchymal perfusions in children with recurrent UTIs with and without coexisting VUR, and compare the findings with the results of healthy patients.Material and methodsColor Doppler sonographic dynamic renal parenchymal perfusion measurements were performed with PixelFlux (Chameleon-Software, Germany) software in 77 children with recurrent UTIs and coexisting VUR and in 30 children with UTIs without VUR. The findings were compared with the results of 53 healthy children.ResultsCortical parenchymal perfusion of children suffering from UTIs and VUR was significantly reduced when compared to the control group. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in all perfusion parameters (i.e. mean velocity (vmix), mean perfused area (Amix), mean perfusion intensity (Imix), tissue pulsatility index (TPI), and tissue resistance index (TRI)) between the control group and children suffering from UTIs and VUR, particularly VUR grades III and IV. There were no significant differences between the UTI group and the control group. No differences were found between the controls and VUR grade II.ConclusionsRenal parenchymal perfusion decreases significantly with higher grades of VUR.
BackgroundThere are many controversies surrounding the effectiveness of endoscopic treatment of vesicouretheral reflux (VUR) in children, thus it is of highest priority to analyze factors influencing the outcome of therapy and to search for new methods that would increase the success rate and reduce the number of reinjections.ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to analyze whether intraoperative contrast-enhanced urosonography (ce-US) may increase the effectiveness of endoscopic anti-reflux therapy.Materials and methodsIntraoperative contrast-enhanced urosonography (ce-US) with SonoVue® was performed in 17 patients (25 ureteral units) undergoing endoscopic treatment of VUR. Ce-US was performed in the operating room before the procedure and after injection of the bulking material. When VUR persisted, the operator repeated the injection, which was followed by ce-US. The results were compared with those obtained from a control group (15 patients; 22 ureteral units).ResultsA repeat injection during a single endoscopic treatment was required in 24% of cases. The overall success rate confirmed at 6–12 months’ follow-ups was 84%. The success rate was significantly higher in comparison to the control group (success: 64%).ConclusionIntraoperative ce-US performed during endoscopic treatment of VUR enables immediate monitoring of outcome and provides the opportunity for repeat injection during the same procedure, thus increasing the efficacy of the procedure and reducing the number of reinjections.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00247-014-2963-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Doppler US is a widely available, non-invasive and relatively inexpensive technique which can be used to characterize the flow of head and neck vascular anomalies and thus differentiate hemangiomas from other vascular malformations.
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