A simple and reliable continent bladder stoma constructed from bladder wall

Patients presenting with recurrent bladder neck strictures or severe incontinence refractory to all forms of infravesical treatment usually require chronic catheterization or supravesical urinary diversion. As an alternative, we use a simple continent bladder stoma made from the bladder wall. After extraperitoneal bladder mobilization, a Lapides-like 4 x 8 cm U-shaped bladder flap is excised and sutured to a tube. Depending on the location of the stoma, the base of the flap can be chosen and/or the length of the flap can be adapted. After bladder neck closure the tube is reflected and, after incision and dissection of the detrusor in the middle of the base of the flap, embedded in Lich-Gregoir's technique. The distal end of the tube is then sutured to the stoma site. Five of our patients now have a minimum follow-up of 11 months (mean 17 months). All are continent with a bladder capacity between 250 and 560 ml. In two, stomal stenosis at the skin level required epifascial stomal revision.