Mortality after bladder augmentation in children with spina bifida.

PURPOSE: Renal failure has been a leading cause of death for children with spina bifida. Although improvements in management have increased survival, current data on mortality are sparse. Bladder augmentation, a modern intervention to preserve renal function, carries risks of morbidity and mortality. We determined long-term mortality and causes of death in patients with spina bifida treated with bladder augmentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with spina bifida who underwent bladder augmentation between 1979 and 2013. Those born before 1972 or older than 21 years at augmentation were excluded. Demographic and surgical data were collected. Outcomes were obtained from medical records, death records and the Social Security Death Index. Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Kaplan-Meier plots were used for analysis. RESULTS: Of 888 patients in our bladder reconstruction database 369 with spina bifida met inclusion criteria. Median followup was 10.8 years. A total of 28 deaths (7.6%) occurred. The leading causes of mortality were nonurological infections (ventriculoperitoneal shunt related, decubitus ulcer fasciitis, etc) and pulmonary disease. Two patients (0.5%) died of renal failure. No patient died of malignancy or bladder perforation. Patients with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt had a higher mortality rate than those without a shunt (8.9% vs 1.5%, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Previously reported mortality rates of 50% to 60% in patients with spina bifida do not appear to apply in children who have undergone bladder augmentation. On long-term followup leading causes of death in patients with spina bifida after bladder augmentation were nonurological infections rather than complications associated with augmentation or renal failure.

The timing of established detrusor hyperreflexia in a rat model of neuropathic bladder.

BACKGROUND: Proper timing of catheter insertion and the use of a suitable surgical method are essential parts of producing rat models to evaluate neuropathic bladder following spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Thirty-two female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into four groups. Group 1 underwent surgical laminectomy using the classic method. Group 2 underwent SCI 7 d following insertion of the catheter, and group 3 underwent sham operation. For bladder catheterization, a 4.5 Fr catheter was fixed into the bladder and tunneled beneath the skin to reach out at the nape of the neck. Group 4 underwent urodynamic study via bladder catheter prior to surgery and every 10 d following the operation to determine the exact time of establishing neuropathic bladder following spinal shock. The animals' survival rate and bladder wall's histopathologic changes were assessed 30 d following the operation. RESULTS: Simultaneous suprapubic catheter placement raised the mortality rate in group 1 in comparison with group 2. Repeated urodynamic study in group 4 showed hypertonic behavior in the bladder 10 d after SCI, with significantly increased leak point pressure and bladder capacity; however, the end filling pressure and constant neuropathic bladder on cystometric indices are attained from 20 d after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion of a bladder catheter 1 wk prior to SCI provides an applicable route for repeated cystometric studies in rats. The results demonstrate that sustained bladder overactivity is established in rats 20 d after SCI and animals are ready for further experiments on neuropathic bladder dysfunction following this period.

The surgical risk of suprapubic catheter insertion and long-term sequelae.

INTRODUCTION: Suprapubic catheter (SPC) insertion is a common urological procedure, which is often referred to as safe and simple even in inexperienced hands. There is, however, very little published evidence on the safety of this procedure. Our study aimed to provide evidence on the associated morbidity and mortality and provide guidance for practising clinicians. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 219 patients who underwent SPC insertion under cystoscopic guidance at two urology institutions between 1994 and 2002 were identified and their case notes reviewed. RESULTS: The intra-operative complication rate was 10% and the 30-day complications rate was 19%. Mortality rate was 1.8%. Long-term complications included recurrent UTIs (21%), catheter blockage (25%) resulting in multiple accident and emergency attendance (43%). Despite this, the satisfaction rate was high (72%) and most patients (89%) prefer the SPC over the urethral catheter. CONCLUSIONS: SPC bladder drainage results in a high patient satisfaction rate. Patients and clinicians should be aware of the potential complications associated with SPC insertion.

Bladder cancer in patients with spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of bladder cancer in spinal cord injury (SCI) is 16 to 28 times higher than that in the general population. The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of bladder cancer that are unique to the SCI population. DESIGN: Retrospective review. METHODS: The charts of 16 patients diagnosed with bladder cancer from 1982 to 2001 were reviewed for type of cancer, exposure to risk factors, presenting symptoms, and survival time. RESULTS: The presenting manifestations were gross hematuria in 14 patients, papillary urethral growth in 1 patient, and acute obstructive renal failure in 1 patient. The diagnosis was made on initial cystoscopic evaluation in 16 patients; 3 patients required further evaluation. Eight of the 11 screening cytologies were suspicious for a malignancy prior to the diagnosis. Seven patients had transitional cell carcinoma, 6 patients had squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA), and 3 patients had both. The bladder wasmanaged with chronic indwelling catheter in 12 patients. Nine patients died of bladder cancer metastases and the remaining 3 patients died of other causes. Six patients survived 5 years or more; 4 were still alive at the completion of this study. CONCLUSION: Gross hematuria in individuals with SCI warrants aggressive assessment for bladder cancer. Chronic indwelling catheter, smoking, and renal and bladder stones are important risk factors for cancer. The incidence of SCCA in the SCI popullation is much higher than in the general population. Cystoscopic and cytologic evaluation in patients with advanced disease may fail to confirm the diagnosis in a high proportion of patients.

Factors associated with survival after bladder cancer in spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors influencing survival in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and bladder cancer. We hypothesized that bladder cancer survivors would have undergone more intense genitourinary surveillance and would have had fewer risk factors for bladder cancer. DESIGN: Case-control study. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS: Eight participants with SCI who had survived at least 5 years (survivors) with bladder cancer were compared with 12 SCI controls who had died due to bladder cancer. Data was obtained retrospectively through medical record review and were analyzed using a two-tailed Mann-Whitney and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: The survivor and control groups were similar with regard to age at SCI, duration of SCI, age at bladder cancer diagnosis, and time utilizing an indwelling catheter. The proportion that developed squamous cell carcinoma was similar for the survivors and controls, at 37.5% and 44%, respectively. Survivors were more likely to be nonsmokers (P = 0.04), and have a history of squamous metaplasia (P = 0.05) and papillary cystitis (P = 0.03). Examining risk factors together, controls were more likely to have multiple risk factors for bladder cancer. The mean number of cystoscopies for the survivor and control groups, respectively, was 8.6 (range = 1-22, SE = 3.1) vs 18.9 (range = 4-48, SE = 6.6), and the mean number of bladder biopsies was 1.5 (range = 1-5, SE = 0.6) vs 4.2 (range = 1-11, SE = 2.0), respectively. CONCLUSION: Bladder cancer survivors were less likely to have multiple genitourinary risk factors. Fewer screening cystoscopies and biopsies were performed in survivors of bladder cancer than in those who died of bladder cancer.

Single kidney outcome and management in persons with spinal cord injury.

This case study examined the outcomes of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) who had a single kidney. A Urologic Database, including 1655 persons with SCI between 1969 and 1997, was examined and 22 persons were identified with single kidneys. Twenty persons had adequate follow-up. Renal function was measured by total and individual kidney effective renal plasma flow (ERPF). Of 11 persons who had a single kidney prior to injury or as a result of an associated injury, all maintained a normal ERPF for an average of 8.6 years. Of 9 persons who had removal of a kidney following their injury for other diseases or urinary complications, 3 were deceased, but 2 had a normal ERPF in the remaining kidney prior to death. One with vesicoureteral reflux had decreased renal function in the remaining kidney. Recurrent renal calculi in a single kidney carries risks for decreasing renal function, urosepsis, and death.

A 25-year prospective mortality study in the spinal cord injured patient: comparison with the long-term living paraplegic.

Herein we combine 2 studies: a 25-year prospective followup on 270 spinal cord injury patients and a more than 20-year (average 24.2 years) evaluation of 175 paraplegics. The mortality rate was 49 per cent after 25 years, with renal disease as the major cause of death (43 per cent). Vascular deaths were just as prevalent during the last 5 years of spinal cord life. There are probably several reasons why some patients have long-term survival (more than 20 years), including patient motivation (better followup), less vascular problems, less chronic decubitus and a higher percentage of lower motor neuron lesions. Patients with lower motor neuron lesions had the best bladder status associated with less upper tract deterioration.

Division of the external urethral sphincter in the neuropathic bladder: a twenty years' review.

It is now twenty years since the authors first performed division of the external sphincter region in the treatment of the neuropathic bladder. Although a ten year report was published in 1967, it was decided to review all the patients at the end of the twenty year period. The rationale of the operation in the upper motor neurone lesion has been confirmed by modern investigative techniques, while it appears from recent work that the success of the procedure in the lower motor neurone case is due to division of plain muscle which is subjected to excessive sympathetic stimulation. It is the authors' firm conviction that long term catheterization, whether permanent or intermittent is a confession of failure and can be avoided in the vast majority of patients. The operation has proved of permanent benefit especially with the regard to the elimination of residual urine. Further, hydronephrosis, and renal infection and failure, are also benefited in many cases. These factors are of great importance in a condition in which late morbidity and mortality has been usually due to renal causes.