OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis, treatment and surgical outcomes of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) caused by renal crossing vessels.

METHODSThe case records of 24 patients discharged from Peking University Third Hospital between June 2001 and September 2011 with the diagnosis of UPJO caused by renal crossing vessels were reviewed .Of the 24 patients, 17 were male and 7 were female patients. The mean age was 28 years (range, 2-63 years). The mean disease duration was 22.3 months (range, 7 days to 180 months). Of which, 4 patients underwent open surgery, and the other 20 patients were treated with laparoscopic surgery. Surgical approach was decided by operative conditions: adhesion release technique, dismembered pyeloplasty or Y-V anastomosisor, with or without cut off the crossing vessels. The kind of crossing vessels was recorded, and the effect of surgery was evaluated by follow-up.

RESULTSFifteen cases were caused by oppressed renal crossing artery, 8 cases by renal crossing vein, and 1 case by 2 renal crossing arteries and 1 renal crossing vein. Among them, 11 cases were followed up successfully. Average follow-up time was 48.2 months (range, 13-120 months). Eight cases (8/11) were relieved, and 1 case (1/11) had no obvious improvement, another 2 cases (2/11) were aggravating. Among those 6 cases underwent adhesion release technique, 3 cases were relieved, 1 case had no obvious improvement, and 2 cases were aggravating. Five cases who underwent dismembered pyeloplasty was relieved significantly.

CONCLUSIONSRenal crossing artery is one of the main causes of UPJO, the crossing artery should be retained as far as possible. Crossing vessel oppression is not the only pathological cause of UPJO, so the treatment of UPJ constriction is also very important. Dismembered pyeloplasty seems to be the most efficacies treatment procedure for UPJO caused by repressed vessels, and the remission rate of adhesion release technique seems limited.