Our experience with management of congenital urological pathologies in adulthood: What pediatric urologists should know and adult urologists adopt in pediatric practice experience

Abstract

Purpose To summarize our experience in the management of congenital anomalies in the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) in adults. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of all adult patients who underwent primary surgical intervention for CAKUT between 1998 and 2021. Results The study included 102 patients with a median age of 25 (interquartile range, 23–36.5). Of these, 85 (83.3%) patients reported normal prenatal ultrasound, and the remaining 17 (16.7%) patients were diagnosed with antenatal hydronephrosis. These patients were followed up conservatively postnatally and were discharged from follow-up because of the absence of indications for surgical intervention or because they decided to leave medical care. All studied adult patients presented with the following pathologies: 67 ureteropelvic junction obstructions, 14 ectopic ureters, 9 ureteroceles, and 6 primary obstructive megaureters, and the remaining 6 patients were diagnosed with vesicoureteral reflux. Forty-three percent of the patients had poorly functioning moieties associated with ectopic ureters or ureteroceles. Notably, 67% of patients underwent pyeloplasty, 9% underwent endoscopic puncture of ureterocele, 3% underwent ureteral reimplantation, 6% underwent endoscopic correction of reflux, 7% underwent partial nephrectomy of non-functioning moiety, and the remaining 9% underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy. The median follow-up period after surgery was 33 months (interquartile range, 12–54). Post-operative complications occurred in 5 patients (Clavien-Dindo 1–2). Conclusions Patients with CAKUT present clinical symptoms later in life. Parents of patients diagnosed during fetal screening and treated conservatively should be aware of this possibility, and children should be appropriately counseled when they enter adolescence. Similar surgical skills and operative techniques used in the pediatric population may be applied to adults.