Children's Hospital Colorado

Urology Research Studies

At Children’s Hospital Colorado, we treat the big things, the small things and everything in between.

Best Children's Hospital by U.S. News & World Report Urology 2021-2 Badge

Experts in our Department of Pediatric Urology continuously improve the quality of care at Children’s Hospital Colorado through ongoing research efforts in various areas of urology care. The information we learn from these studies helps us to better understand urologic conditions in children and how we can improve treatment for better outcomes. 

We currently have several research studies underway that your child may be able to participate in if you are interested.

Understanding the family experience with bladder catheterization and bladder surgery

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to develop a decision-making tool to help doctors communicate more effectively with families and empower families to make the best decisions for them and their child.

What’s required: Eligible parents will participate in a 30-minute recorded phone call.

Funded by: Ponzio Accelerator Research Award

Doppler ultrasound and resistive indices in the diagnosis of ureteropelvic junction

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to determine if Doppler ultrasound of the kidney can reliably predict ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

What’s required: Children up to the age of 18 years will have a Doppler renal ultrasound completed at the time of MAG3 renogram. We will review the child’s medical record at Children’s Colorado for the next year to obtain clinical data in order to follow the child’s care.

Funded by: Ponzio Accelerator Research Award

Multicenter pediatric Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) data registry

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to learn more about current procedures in order to improve recovery results after urologic surgery. We are interested in improving recovery, including lowering the number of complications, length of stay in the hospital after surgery, readmissions after surgery, time for pain to improve, need for extra pain control and more.

What’s required: Children and parents will complete several surveys pre- and post-surgery. We will look at children’s medical records for one year after surgery.

Funded by: Children’s Hospital Colorado Clinical and Operational Effectiveness and Patient Safety

Association of fetal biomarkers and postnatal outcomes in fetuses with suspected bladder outlet obstruction

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to evaluate the potential benefit of prenatal biomarkers in identifying fetuses with bladder outlet obstruction who are at risk of renal impairment.

What’s required: Mothers with fetuses that have suspected bladder outlet obstruction donate existing specimens from standard prenatal vesicocentesis or amniocentesis that would otherwise be discarded. We will look at children’s medical record during pregnancy and first year of life. 

The role of constipation in pediatric voiding dysfunction

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to better understand the role constipation plays in children who have difficulties urinating at appropriate times.

What’s required: After the clinic appointment is finished, participants will complete a few written questionnaires. They will complete the same questionnaires at follow-up clinic visits for up to two years so our team can measure any changes.

Outcomes after standardized testicular torsion management and follow-up

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to better understand testicular torsion management and follow-up.

What’s required: Participants will receive routine clinical follow-up visits, including repeat scrotal ultrasounds and information will be collected to better understand testicular torsion management and follow-up.

Establishment of pediatric genitourinary biobank

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to create a storage location, known as a BioBank repository, to store samples of tissue, blood, urine and DNA for use in future research studies related to genitourinary disease

What’s required: Eligible participants will give permission for research team to take a small amount of tissue, blood, urine or saliva during surgery that would otherwise be discarded. We will also look at children’s medical records for diagnosis and age.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial of NSAID prior to ureteral stent removal in a pediatric population

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to learn more about whether ibuprofen given before ureteral stent removal can reduce pain more than a placebo.

What’s required: Eligible patients, with the help of their parents, will complete pre- and post-surgery survey as well as receive either ibuprofen or placebo (sugar water) to be taken by mouth before surgery.

Systemic cytotoxic chemotherapeutic effect on symptoms of voiding dysfunction

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to learn about bladder and kidney problems in children treated with chemotherapy medicines for pediatric cancer.

What’s required: Eligible patients, with the help of their parents, will complete a one-time survey about their child’s current bladder and kidney status. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

Research on factors associated with early surgical intervention in suspected (ureteropelvic junction obstruction) UPJ obstruction

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to better understand what clinical and non-clinical factors influence the risk of surgery within the first year of life in infants with congenital hydronephrosis concerning for UPJ obstruction. Our team will use data gathered from this study in future studies to assess the impact of these variations on outcomes in children with suspected UPJ obstruction.

What’s required: We will review the child’s medical record at Children’s Colorado for the next year to obtain clinical and demographic data to follow the child’s care. There are no study visits or other requirements to participate. The study primarily includes a collection of medical chart data to help us understand the differences in patients who undergo surgery versus observation. We will then use this information to ultimately improve patient care.

Learn more about our urology research studies

If you are interested in learning more about any of these studies, please call 720-777-4418 or 720-777-3964.