[Orthotopic ileal neobladder: technical procedures and long-term follow-up]

From January 1992 to September 1997, 29 male patients between the age of 39 and 71 affected by localized bladder cancer underwent radical cystectomy and received detubularized orthotopic ileal neobladder. In most cases we performed the ileal neobladder utilizing the Studer technique, preferring the Wallace 1 method for the uretero-ileal anastomosis, that seems to reduce the risk of stenosis. In some patients we experimented different techniques. One of these was the utilization of staplers but, at present, we are no longer using this procedure due to its high costs without any real advantage in operative time. Another technique is the performance of continuous suture in catgut 000 on the ileal aperture edges for the anastomosis with the urethra, because we believe that this method makes the ileal wall stronger. Usually we apply 6 stitches in vicryl 000 for the urethro-ileal anastomosis. In 14-28 days, after a cystography to exclude the presence of urinary fistula, the catheter was removed. 6 months later an evaluation was made utilizing an auto-evaluation questionnaire, biochemical, radiological and urodynamic examinations. The diurnal continence (96%), the nocturnal continence (71%), the renal function preservation (normal in 86% of patients), the radiological, biochemical and urodynamic (low pressure and high capacity of the neobladder) results were comparable with those published in literature. The discrete percentage of urinary refluxes observed (39%) puts in doubt the real efficacy of the undetubularized ileal tract as an antireflux mechanism, however it does not seem to determine an important reduction of renal function, as confirmed in the check up five years later. In our experience, this operation reduces the risk of stenosis of the uretero-ileal anastomosis.