Active surveillance for antenatally detected ureteroceles: Predictors of success

Summary Introduction Historically, ureteroceles were surgically treated, as patients were diagnosed after developing symptoms. However, with the advance of fetal medicine, antenatal detection has provided an opportunity to look at the natural history of ureteroceles. Objectives With data derived from a retrospective chart review of patients with ureteroceles that were detected antenatally, the current study aimed to determine which group of children would be at risk for failure on active surveillance. It was hypothesized that single system ureteroceles (SSU) and male patients with duplex system ureteroceles (DSU) would be ideal for observation. Methods Outcomes were assessed by descriptive statistics. Kaplan–Meier curves were utilized to estimate median duration on active surveillance in both single and duplex cohorts. Breakthrough febrile urinary tract infection (fUTI) and surgery were determined by Cox regression in the duplex system cohort. Surgery was considered surveillance failure. Results A total of 102 patients (64 females/38 males) met the criteria: 78 (76.5%) had DSU and 24 (23.5%) SSU. The overall median observation was 1.2 years (range 0.7–3.1). Follow-up ranged from 0.3 to 11.7 years for SSU, and from 0.02 to 17.3 years for DSU. The predictors of failure of active surveillance (AS) in DSU (surgical intervention) were male gender (HR 1.8, 1.0–3.3, P  = 0.037), or fUTI (HR 3.1, 1.7–5.8, P  = 0.002). Predictors of fUTI were contralateral hydroureter or ipsilateral hydronephrosis ± hydroureter (OR 9.5, 1.2–71.7, P  = 0.028). Interestingly, vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was not a predictor of fUTI. The SSU patients were ideal for AS, while in DSU, surveillance was successful in 30% of patients who were primarily females without contralateral hydroureter or ipsilateral hydronephrosis ± hydroureter. However, in contradiction to the hypothesis, males were at higher risk for surgical intervention in the DSU cohort. Conclusion Active surveillance is an option for patients with antenatally detected ureteroceles, but careful long term follow up is mandatory. Parents should be advised that surgical intervention may still be necessary, particularly in males with DSU. Summary table . Patient characteristics Total, n  = 102 SSU, n  = 24 DSU, n  = 78 Gender Female 6 58 Male 18 20 Circumcision Yes 5 4 No 11 13 Not reported 2 3 Interval on AS 252 days to 3.1 years 100 days to 11.2 years 7 days to 17.2 years Hydronephrosis of the lower moiety (ipsilateral to ureterocele) No N/A 11 Hydronephrosis only N/A 47 Hydroureteronephrosis N/A 20 Ipsilateral reflux (any grade) 4 34 Surgery Male 5 17 Female 0 36 AS, active surveillance; SSU, single system ureterocele; DSU, duplex system ureterocele; N/A, not available.