Important information for those suffering from reflux

[10french]

Hi Everyone!

Please share this with everyone you know who may have VUR (Vesicoureteral Reflux), a condition where the urine back flows from the bladder to the kidneys. This is a condition that occurs in children but also in patients like myself who have had a urinary diversion.

This is great news!

Check out http://www.deflux.com. Deflux is a biocompatible substance that is injected around the ureter where it meets the bladder to create a tighter seal. Urine can pass into the bladder but is less likely to back flow to the kidneys. The FDA approved Deflux two years ago for use in the US as an alternative to surgery and long-term antibiotics. Many adult urologists do not know about Deflux because it's used mostly in pediatric patients. Visit http://www.deflux.com for more information and ask your doctor about it right away if you have reflux.

In my case, I have an Indiana Pouch (1994) and have had reflux from the beginning. I've been suffering from chronic kidney infections, pain, and discomfort for almost 15 years. My kidney function has declined since 1994 due to the reflux and chronic infections. I'm scheduled to have the procedure in two weeks at Cedars-Sinai and will let you all know the result. The procedure is done laproscopically through my stoma opening. If the doctor cannot get a good view of the ureter through the stoma, he suggests going through the kidney and straight down to the ureter. Either way, it's better than having a huge surgery that takes weeks to recover from!

This brings great hope to me and, I imagine, to many others who can be helped by this. For me, this simple outpatient procuedure has the potential to add years to my kidney function and give me back my life.

All the best,

Barbara