[Surgical treatment for ureteropelvic junction syndrome in infants and children (report of 73 cases)].

between 1982 and 1990, 73 children were operated for pyeloureteric junction syndrome (76 pyeloplasties). The authors distinguish between a group of 45 infants operated before the age of 2 years and a group of 35 children operated after the age of 2 years. 40% of these cases had been detected antenatally, which modified the management and treatment of these infants, operated at about the age of 6 months (mean: 6.6 months). Treatment was conservative (one nephrectomy out of the 41 infants operated: 2.4%). Pyeloplasty was performed according to the Anderson-Hynes-Küss resection-anastomosis technique under an operating magnifying glass. Early surgery offers the best chance of recovery. Urinary tract drainage was not systematic in these infants (50% of cases) and did not affect the long term results. Early complications and surgical revisions (3.9%) were not more frequent in the infants operated earlier. The definitive results were good in 88.5% of cases, while 7.2% of cases required further surveillance. Renal parenchymal lesions (4.3%) were related more to pyelonephritis than to failure of surgery. Overall, a conservative surgical approach is recommended, except in minor syndromes which require rigorous surveillance.