Laparoscopic correction of vesicoureteral reflux in children: review of the current literature.

Abstract

Vesicoureteral reflux is one of the most important pediatric urology topics. The correction of this pathology by means of open and endoscopic surgery has been well established. The laparoscopic approaches are evolved with the aim of combining the minimally invasive nature of endoscopic treatments with the high success rates of open surgeries. The first applications of laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation techniques started in mid 1990s. However, it did not gain wide acceptance as the latter endoscopic trigonoplasties could not. With 2000s, case series of transperitoneal extravesical and pneumovesicoscopic intravesical ureteral reimplantations showed the feasibility. Today, both conventional and robotic assisted laparoscopic approaches are shown to have comparable outcomes with open counterparts in terms of successful resolution of reflux, postoperative comfort and improved cosmesis. The only shortcoming of new techniques seem to be the longer operative period which stands as a barrier against the wide acceptance which probably will take some time to be improved.