What is Endoscopic Treatment (Deflux) of Vesicoureteral Reflux?
Endoscopic treatment of VUR is an outpatient surgery using a bulking agent to correct reflux. For this article we will be discussing the agent Deflux, but there are others available. During surgery, the doctor uses a cystoscope to look into the bladder. A cystoscope is a thin, lighted instrument that is used to view areas of the urethra and bladder that can not easily be seen on x-ray. The cystoscope is entered through the urethra and into the bladder. During this procedure, the surgeon will use very small instruments to inject the Deflux into the lining of the bladder where the ureter enters into the bladder. By doing this, the surgeon creates a new valve that prevents the back flow of urine into the kidneys. Deflux is a gel substance made from two types of sugar-based molecules (polysaccharides) called dextranomer and hyaluronic acid. These materials work well because they do not cause significant reactions to the body. Hyaluronic acid is actually produced naturally within the body.
