Treatment of neonatal hydronephrosis by malformation of the ureteropelvic junction: interest of percutaneous nephrostomy.

The authors have studied 42 children less than 1 month of age, who had hydronephrosis due to ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Most of them were detected by antenatal ultrasound. Bilateral forms were found in 13 patients. Thus a total of 55 kidneys were involved. Three forms were distinguished. The benign forms (n = 15) were operated. The mild forms (n = 29) must be operated, but not in emergency. Immediate complications (n = 5) and failures (n = 4) are more frequent than in older children. The severe forms (n = 11) are characterized by renal mutation on IVU. In these forms, percutaneous nephrostomy confirms the diagnosis and shows the functional value of the kidney. Only 5 of these 11 children underwent nephrectomy.