Clinical outcomes after increasing bladder outlet resistance without augmentation cystoplasty in neurogenic bladder.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with neurogenic bladder (NGB) and urinary incontinence (UI) due to low bladder outlet resistance may require bladder neck procedures (BNPs) to achieve continence. These patients may also have reduced bladder capacity and or elevated detrusor storage pressures that require augmentation cystoplasty (AC). AC is not without complications that include risks for bladder rupture, urolithiasis, urinary tract infections and metabolic issues. Avoidance of AC would be helpful in patients with neurogenic urinary incontinence that have safe bladder parameters in the setting of low bladder outlet resistance. OBJECTIVE: To determine if pre-operative urodynamics could select children with NGBs and UI for isolated BNPs without AC. Additionally we sought to determine the safety of BNPs without AC and future need of AC with long-term follow-up. STUDY DESIGN: This is an IRB-approved retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing BNPs for management of neurogenic UI over a 17-year period. We separated these BNP patients into two groups: No AC + BNP (Group 1) vs. AC + BNP (Group 2). Our primary analyses focused on postoperative outcomes for patients in Group 1. Outcomes assessed included additional surgical procedures, urodynamic changes, development of CKD, new hydronephrosis (HDN) and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Secondary analysis included the timeline for the development of any bladder deterioration that necessitated AC in Group 1. RESULTS: 93 patients underwent BNP at a mean age of 10.8 years. Thirty did not have AC at the time of surgery (Group 1). These children had larger (p < 0.001) and more compliant (p < 0.001) bladders than Group 2 having simultaneous augmentation. At 6 years mean follow-up in Group 1 patients, three developed new reflux and three had new hydronephrosis. Nine (30%) had additional continence procedures. Twelve required (40%) AC at a mean of 23 months after the initial BNP. No patients had AC after 5 years. Detrusor end filling pressure increased 14.8 cm H2O (p = 0.028) and expected bladder capacity decreased 26.1% (p = 0.005) after isolated BNP. DISCUSSION: We found that from our cohort of patients who had normal bladder compliance and normal/near normal expected capacity preoperatively 40% required subsequent AC. We were unable to find pre-operative clinical parameters which predicted failure or conversion to AC. We found that 43.3% of our BNP without AC patients had no subsequent invasive procedures with mean 6-year follow-up. We found that none of our patients developed any degree of CKD. Finally, we found that the majority of patients that converted to AC after their BNP did so within the first 2 years after their initial BNP and no patients required augmentation 5 years post their initial BNP. This data validates that these patients require very strict follow up, particularly in the first 5 years after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: BNP without AC is safe in only a few selected patients with NGB. Despite preoperative selection, there are significant changes in bladder dynamics and 40% required subsequent augmentation. Bladder deterioration occurs early and generally in the first 2 years. Since there are no apparent reliable pre-operative variables predicting the need for subsequent AC, parents should be counseled regarding vigilant post-operative follow-up.

Systematic review of bladder cancer outcomes in patients with spina bifida.

BACKGROUND: In patients with congenital bladder anomalies, bladder augmentation is used as a last resort to reduce intravesical pressure, but concerns about malignant transformation in augmented patients were first raised in the 1980s. The best evidence to date indicates that augmentation does not appear to increase the risk of bladder cancer in spina bifida patients. To date, oncologic outcomes from patients with spina bifida with and without augmentation have only been available in small case reports. OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate factors in myelomeningocele patients with bladder cancer, including bladder augmentation, that contribute to overall survival (OS). STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review using PubMed was conducted by cross referencing terms 'myelomeningocele,' 'cystoplasty,' 'bladder cancer' and respective synonyms according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Inclusion criteria were studies with patients with an underlying diagnosis of myelomeningocele and bladder cancer with data on age, stage, and mortality status. Studies were excluded for spinal cord injury, history of tuberculosis or schistosomiasis, or prior ureterosigmoidostomy. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were identified from 28 studies with a median age at bladder cancer diagnosis of 41 years (range 13-73); 37 (71%) presented with stage III or IV bladder cancer. Overall survival at 1 year and 2 years was 48.5% and 31.5%, respectively. Overall survival was different between those with and without augmentation (P = 0.009) by log-rank analysis. No between-group differences in OS were seen based on age, management with indwelling catheter, diversion with ileal conduit or being on a surveillance program. Only stage remained a significant predictor of OS on multivariate analysis (HR 2.011, 95% CI 1.063-3.804, P = 0.032). Secondary analysis was performed after removing patients with gastric augmentation (n = 8), and no difference in OS was seen between patients with (n = 8) and without augmentation (n = 36, P = 0.112). Of augmented patients, latency to development of bladder cancer was variable (Summary Figure). DISCUSSION: Bladder cancer is a deadly diagnosis in patients with congenital bladder anomalies like spina bifida, and while overall prevalence of the two conditions occurring together is low, bladder cancer will go on to affect 2-4% of spina bifida patients. The present study examined overall survival, and further characterized outcomes in these patients. Presence of a bladder augment did not appear to worsen overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with myelomeningocele who developed bladder cancer had aggressive disease. Augmentation did not worsen OS, based on cases reported in the literature. Risk of bladder cancer should be discussed with all myelomeningocele patients.

Prevalence of upper urinary tract anomalies in hospitalized premature infants with urinary tract infection.

OBJECTIVE: The 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines address imaging after initial febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) in infants >2 months of age. We sought to determine the frequency of upper urinary tract anomalies (hydronephrosis and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR)) in hospitalized premature infants with UTI. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions at a tertiary care children's hospital between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2010. We queried the records for UTI, renal ultrasound (US) and voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG). RESULT: We identified 3518 unique admissions. UTI occurred in 118 infants (3%). Sixty-nine (60%) had a normal US. Renal dilation was predominantly renal pelvic dilation (12%) and isolated caliectasis (22%). VUR was identified in 15 (14%) infants evaluated with a VCUG. VUR was identified in nine (12%) infants without and in seven (16%) with an abnormality on US. Reflux was identified in 7% of male and 38% of female infants with a UTI. CONCLUSION: Anatomic abnormalities of the upper urinary tract are uncommon in premature infants with a UTI that occurs during neonatal hospitalization. In concordance with the AAP guidelines, a VCUG may not be required in all NICU infants under age 2 months after a single UTI.