Percutaneous nephrostomy in children: diagnostic and therapeutic importance.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous nephrostomy (PN) in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic approach in children with urological problems. PN was performed on 39 kidneys in 28 patients (12 girls, 16 boys) aged 4.5 months to 13 years (average 5.38+/-3.41 years) during the period from January 1996 to December 2003. Underlying abnormalities were ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) in 14 patients (17 kidneys), ureterovesical junction obstruction (UVJO) in six patients (eight kidneys), supravesical obstruction due to tumour or hydatid cyst or ureteral stone in three patients (five kidneys), and severe vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) with/without neurogenic bladder associated with pyonephrotic kidneys in five patients (nine kidneys). The duration of catheter insertion was between 2 and 160 days (average 80+/-65.01 days). The complications were haematuria (six cases), infection (five cases) and displacement of catheter (four cases). Radical surgical management was performed in 25 patients (33 kidneys): pyeloplasty in eight cases (ten kidneys), UVJO correction in six cases (eight kidneys), nephrectomy in five cases (five kidneys), ureteroneocystostomy in four cases (seven kidneys), hydatid cyst operation in one case (two kidneys) and stone extraction in one case (one kidney). PN is an easy, safe and efficient diagnostic and therapeutic procedure with few complications in childhood.