Pyeloplasty
Pyeloplasty is an operation to fix a blockage that develops where the ‘funnel’ of the kidney (renal pelvis) meets the ureter. This condition is called pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction and can develop at any age. Surgery involves removing the obstructed 5-10mm segment and re-joining the ureter to the renal pelvis over a temporary stent. Sometimes an abnormal blood vessel causes kinking at this site and needs to be dissected away from the obstruction, and sometimes stones that have developed due to the obstruction need to be removed at the same time.
Pyeloplasty can be performed through keyhole surgery with or without the use of robotic assistance, and should carry a success rate of over 95%.
After co-authoring the largest British publication of laparoscopic pyeloplasty [1] and a review of surgical techniques [2], A/Prof Moon published the first Australian series of this procedure [3] demonstrating high rates of success with few complications.
Figure 1. Before pyeloplasty
Figure 2. After pyeloplasty
1. Moon DA, El-Shazly M, Chang, C, Gianduzzo T, and Eden CG. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty: Evolution of a new gold standard. Urology 2006; 67: 932-936
2. El-Shazly M, Moon DA and Eden CG. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty: status and review of the literature. J Endourol 2007;21(7):673-8
3. Gii S and Moon DA. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty outcomes in elderly patients. J Endourology. 2011; 25(2): 251-6