Wang David S, Bird Vincent G, Cooper Christopher S, Austin J Christopher, Winfield Howard N
Department of Urology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
J Endourol. 2003 Sep;17(7):469-73. doi: 10.1089/089277903769013603.
A duplex kidney associated with a poorly functioning upper-pole segment is commonly associated with incontinence, voiding dysfunction, and urinary tract infections. A standard treatment option for this condition is upper-pole heminephrectomy. With the continued development of minimally invasive urology, this technique can now be safely performed laparoscopically. This report details step by step our technique of laparoscopic upper-pole heminephrectomy. Key points include placement of a catheter in the normal ureter at the start of the case, full mobilization of the upper-pole ureter away from the renal hilum, and precise identification of the vasculature supplying the upper pole. Laparoscopic upper-pole heminephrectomy for ectopic ureter is safe and reproducible and offers the patient the typical postoperative benefits of laparoscopic surgery.
