Purpose: Positioned instillation of contrast cystograms have been touted as possibly being more sensitive than standard cystograms for evaluation of vesicoureteral reflux. We performed positioned instillation of contrast cystograms intraoperatively, immediately after the injection of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid to treat vesicoureteral reflux, to determine whether they might be predictive of operative success and obviate the need for the standard postoperative voiding cystourethrogram, which is usually performed at 3 months.
Materials and methods: Patients with vesicoureteral reflux and no confounding conditions were treated with dextranomer/hyaluronic acid and subsequent positioned instillation of contrast cystogram while under the same anesthesia between November 2003 and March 2005. The results of this intraoperative cystogram were compared to the results of the postoperative voiding cystourethrogram performed 3 to 4 months later.
Results: A total of 61 patients met the inclusion criteria and underwent positioned instillation of contrast cystogram after dextranomer/hyaluronic acid injection. Only 53 patients (86 ureters) completed the necessary postoperative evaluation. Positioned instillation of contrast cystogram added 4 minutes to the procedure and required about 4 seconds of fluoroscopy per ureter evaluated. The overall success rate for correcting reflux was 84% (72 of 86 ureters cured). None of the 14 ureters with persistent postoperative reflux was identified by intraoperative cystogram, and 3 patients were misidentified as having reflux despite cure confirmed postoperatively. Intraoperative positioned instillation of contrast cystogram was predictive of treatment failure 0% of the time (sensitivity 0%). There were no complications.
Conclusions: Positioned instillation of contrast cystogram performed immediately after injection of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid was not useful in predicting which patients would have persistent reflux postoperatively. Patients are best served with the extant protocol of conventional cystography 3 to 4 months postoperatively.