Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This retrospective study compared the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) and open pyeloplasty (OP) in adult patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). METHODS: Records of 46 adult patients who underwent pyeloplasty at the Department of Urology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, between January 2014 and December 2023 were reviewed. Patients were divided into LP and OP groups. Collected variables included age, body mass index (BMI), gender, presentation, operative duration, estimated blood loss, complications, analgesic requirement, and pain score. Postoperative pain was assessed using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Version 27 (IBM Corp, Armonk, USA). RESULTS: A total of 46 procedures were performed: 36 (78%) LP and 10 (22%) OP. The mean age was 35.5 ± 18.4 years in the LP group and 33.6 ± 14.0 years in the OP group; mean BMI was 25.0 ± 5.5 and 25.3 ± 8.3, respectively. The mean hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LP group (5.7 ± 1.5 days) compared with the OP group (9.4 ± 4.2 days; P < 0.05). Pain scores were significantly lower in the LP group, with 20 of 36 patients reporting a score <2 compared with 1 of 10 in the OP group (P < 0.05), leading to reduced analgesic requirements. The overall success rate was 91.3%. CONCLUSION: LP is a safe and effective procedure associated with shorter hospital stay and reduced postoperative pain, supporting its adoption as the preferred option for adult UPJO.