Intravesical instillation of bacille Calmette-Guérin for carcinoma in situ of the urothelium involving the upper urinary tract using vesicoureteral reflux created by a double-pigtail catheter.

Objectives: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the urothelium involving the upper urinary tract when the vaccine was administered by way of the bladder using vesicoureteral reflux created by a double-pigtail (DP) catheter.

Methods: Thirteen upper urinary tracts of 9 patients with cytologically diagnosed CIS, with concomitant bladder CIS in 4, were treated by intravesical BCG instillation. A DP catheter was placed retrogradely, and the appearance of vesicoureteral reflux was confirmed by cystography. BCG (1 to 2 mg/mL) in a volume sufficient to fill the renal caliceal system was administered into the bladder weekly for 6 weeks. The mean follow-up was 36 months (range 8 to 97).

Results: The voided urine cytology turned negative in all 9 patients at a mean of 86 days after the first administration of BCG. The voided urine cytology returned positive afterward in 3 patients, and positive cytology in the upper urinary tract was confirmed in 1 of 13 treated urinary tracts, which were successfully treated by another course of BCG therapy with the DP catheter. Minor adverse effects related to BCG and the DP catheter were seen in 5 patients.

Conclusions: BCG therapy for the CIS involving the upper urinary tract using a DP catheter might have the potential to be an effective procedure preserving renal units and could be adopted not only as an imperative, but also as an elective, treatment option.