Combined laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with transurethral approach to the ureter in renal tuberculosis treatment

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis of the genitourinary system is a common cause of organ removal surgeries. Despite the improvement of medical technologies, kidney and urinary tract surgeries for urogenital tuberculosis are traditionally performed using the open method.

AIM: To assess the findings of laparoscopic and open combined nephroureterectomy with transurethral resection of the distal ureter in patients with renal tuberculosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The findings of 61 nephroureterectomies with transurethral resection of the distal ureter performed for destructive renal tuberculosis were analyzed. Open nephroureterectomy was performed in 31 patients, and laparoscopic approach was used in 30 patients. Patients in both groups were comparable by gender and age.

RESULTS: The surgery duration, volume of intraoperative blood loss, rate and severity of postoperative complications were lower in patients who had laparoscopic interventions. When examined 1 month after surgery, patients in both groups showed the improvement of clinical parameters. The following changes were reported: a significant decrease in the nighttime urination rate, a decrease in IPSS scores, and an increase in the functional bladder capacity without significant differences depending on the surgical approach. After the surgery, a significant improvement in the quality of patients’ life was observed. In patients who had laparoscopic surgery, improvements were detected in all the SF-36 questionnaire domains. However, in patients after open surgery with a positive effect on most of assessed parameters no significant improvement of parameters in section “General Physical Health” was found.

CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of the selected approach, combined nephroureterectomy with transurethral resection of the distal ureter is an effective method of surgical treatment of patients with destructive renal tuberculosis. Moreover, the laparoscopic technique has shown a number of significant advantages over open surgery.