Vesicoureteral antireflux surgery with Lich-Gregoir technique without vesical drainage: Long-term results

OBJECTIVETo describe our long-term experience with patients with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) who underwent conventional surgery without postoperative bladder drainage. MATERIAL AND METHODSRetrospective review of 45 patients surgically treated by extravesical Lich-Gregoir's ureterovesical reimplantation without postoperative bladder drainage between 2010 and 2013. RESULTS37 women (82.2%) and 8 men (17.8%). 28 patients with unilateral reflux, and 17 patients with bilateral reflux with a total of 62 operated kidneys. The mean age at surgery was 6 years (2 to 11 years). The main cause of surgical indication was the persistence of reflux in patients older than 6 years (73.3%); with grade III VUR (75.6%) being the most frequent. The mean surgical time was 44minutes (35-70) for unilateral reimplantation, and 70minutes (53-98) for bilateral ones. All patients presented spontaneous urination in the immediate postoperative period, without pain, no hematuria, full incontinence, and without a bladder balloon. None required bladder catheter placement, and hospital discharge was indicated between 7 and 36hours postoperatively (mean 11h). All continued with spontaneous micturitions, without postvoid residual or voiding dysfunction during the 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONThe thorough selection of the patients, the detailed surgical gestures, the bladder emptying without instrumentation of the urethra, together with a correct use of analgesics and early ambulation allowed excellent outcomes obtained in these patients managed with a short hospital stay and without bladder drainage, also demonstrating the safety of the procedure at 5 years of follow-up.