Robot-assisted tapered ureteral reimplantation for congenital megaureter

Objective: To discuss the clinical implications of primary obstructed congenital megaureter in the adult and illustrate a minimally-invasive approach for surgical intervention.

Methods: We present the case of a 51-year-old man with a longstanding history of symptomatic congenital megaureter, illustrating an approach for robot-assisted tapered ureteral reimplantation. Ureteral dissection, tapering, and nonrefluxing ureteroneocystostomy were all completed using a robot-assisted laparoscopic technique.

Results: The total operative time was 262 minutes, with an estimated blood loss of 150 mL. The patient's hospital course was uneventful, with discharge on postoperative day 4 without a Foley catheter or drain. A diuretic renal scan was performed at 5 months that showed good preservation of renal function with rapid clearance of tracer on the reconstructed side. The patient was pain free at his last follow-up visit without any symptoms.

Conclusions: We have demonstrated a technique for robot-assisted tapered nonrefluxing ureteral reimplantation for congenital megaureter. Robotic assistance provided a safe and effective approach for complex ureteral reconstruction while minimizing morbidity.