Management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in an era of minimally invasive surgery

Introduction Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is defined as a significant impairment of the drainage of urine from the renal pelvis to the proximal ureter. If not detected early and treated promptly this condition could result in persistence of symptoms spanning from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI), urolithiasis and eventually complete loss of the affected kidney. UPJO is the most common cause of upper renal tract congenital anomaly. The reported incidence of UPJO may be as high as 1 in 1500 live births evident at routine antenatal ultrasound scan, however not all cases (in fact less than 10%) require surgical intervention.[1] The exact incidence of UPJO is less well-defined in adult population. It is seen more frequently in boys, with up to twice the number of reported cases being males. The left side is affected twice as often as the right side [2].