[Living with bladder exstrophy - the patients' perspective]. / Trotz Blasenexstrophie ein gutes Leben haben: Untersuchung zum Leben und Umgang mit Blasenexstrophie.

Bladder exstrophy (BE) is a rare but severe urogenital malformation that requires complex clinical management. It can lead to physical restriction as well as to psychosocial and psychosexual malfunction. For the first time, this qualitative study describes the experiences of persons living with BE from childhood into adulthood. The primary goal was to explore the experiences of persons with BE in order to optimise treatment, care and counselling at the children hospital in Zurich. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 4 women and 16 men (38 to 68 years). Using content analysis techniques, three major categories with two respectively four and five subcategories emerged from the data. The first category "having a good life despite BE" describes the perception of the affected persons to lead a life worth living despite BE. It was categorised by episodes and experiences that were repeated throughout the persons' life, such as "being in hospital", "living with symptoms", "being different", "showing oneself" and "gathering information". The second category "the affected ones" demonstrated that "parents" and "partners" were affected too and provided considerable support to the person with BE. The third category "the influencing factors" revealed that the perception of living with BE was influenced by individual and contextual factors. The results of this study illustrated that persons with BE can live a good life, despite repeated health-related challenges, if the support provided by their caregivers permits a positive attitude towards their illness. For this, patients with BE and their family members require continuous and highly competent treatment, care and education by an interdisciplinary team.

Exstrophy of the bladder.

Exstrophy of the bladder is a rare congenital defect that occurs when the abdominal wall and underlying structures, including the ventral wall of the bladder, fail to fuse in utero. As a result, the lower urinary tract is exposed, and the everted bladder appears through the abdominal opening. Various surgical interventions have been employed with variable success in the hope of achieving complete dryness, full control over delivery of urine, freedom from catheters and external appliances, and a protected upper urinary tract. The most popular surgical approach is the primary bladder closure with secondary bladder neck reconstruction. Comprehensive nursing, medical, and surgical care are necessary to preserve renal and sexual function. The many complex problems experienced by these infants and their families call for a multidisciplinary approach. This article reviews occurrence, clinical presentation, and management of exstrophy of the bladder.

Care of the infant with exstrophy of the bladder.

In summary, there is one major principle in the care of the child with exstrophy of the bladder; it is to prevent infection. It is not the exstrophied bladder but the serious infection that causes most of the related deaths. To prevent infection, the child must be kept clean and dry, have a blanced diet with special attention to vitamin A and proteins, have rest, be protected from trauma, take antibiotics, and have a good mental outlook. Even babies can sense when they are rejected or unloved. Parents must learn to control their emotions, understand and accept the baby, and give him the love and care that he needs and deserves as their own child.