Living with Pediatric Urology Issues

Izabella was 4 months old when she got her first febrile UTI She was not eating well and had a 101 fever. We were treated with antibiotics for 5 days in hospital. They did a VCUG considering her age.

We found out she had grade 2-3 bilateral reflux, and then started seeing a doctor at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CA. We chose antibiotic therapy for 8 months checked her again at 1 year with another VCUG and found she was a grade 3 bilateral. Please know Izabella had at least 2 or 3 break thru infections during the 8 months. So, our doctor gave us options of surgery or Deflux.

We chose surgery due to the higher success rate. Surgery was done March of 2008 it was one of the most difficult decision of our lives as parents. Our doctor did the bilateral reimplantation. She was in the hospital for 3 days was released and had to come back for a few more days due to swelling of the kidneys she had fever and was vomiting when we first brought her home. She was released again and did ok.

Izabella had an ultrasound in April and kidneys looked good. She had a VCUG in July 2008 and our doctor found only one side had been corrected the right side was still a grade 3. He said, “it is very unusual.” A few days after the VCUG in July she came down with a febrile UTI and the bacteria was very resistant to some antibiotics and could only be treated with I.V. antibiotics. It was a week’s stay. The doctor believes she got the infection due to the VCUG.

Our doctor has been very understanding and a great physician thru all of this. He recommended antibiotic therapy again; she is on Furadantin 5 ml once a day. We will check her again in 6 months with an ultrasound to make sure her kidneys are ok and a possible VCUG a year after her surgery which would be March 2009.

He is hoping that time and Izabella growing that her reflux may resolve. As long as there is no break thru infections we will proceed with this plan. If she has infections we may change this plan.

Again, we have been very comfortable with our doctor. He is always there when the need arises. I however, wonder what our outcome would have been with Deflux. Being her surgery was not as successful as we had hoped. Surgery was an ordeal it hurt so much to see your child go thru this.

Izabella will be two in November 2008 and has an unbelievable soul she is so strong and happy. If I had the opportunity to decide I probably would try the Deflux before resorting to surgery. I wish and pray for any family going thru this strength and courage. Has anyone else’s surgery not been as succesful as had hoped?