Detrusor myectomy: long-term results with a minimum follow-up of 2 years

To assess the long-term results of detrusor myectomy, which has obvious theoretical advantages over enterocystoplasty for refractory detrusor overactivity (DO), and for which the early results have been encouraging.

The medical records were reviewed of 30 consecutive patients (median age 33 years, range 10-62) who had a detrusor myectomy between November 1992 and April 2002 in our unit. Twenty-four patients (80%) had idiopathic DO (six males and 18 females) and six (20%) had neurogenic DO (four males and two females). The median (range) follow-up was 79 (28-142) months. All patients were confirmed to have DO on urodynamics before surgery and 26 (87%) had urodynamics afterward.

Nineteen (79%) of those with idiopathic DO and two with neurogenic DO showed a continued overall improvement. The cystometric capacity improved in 80% of patients after surgery, whilst the detrusor pressure at maximum flow and the bladder contractility index decreased in 60% and 78% of the patients, respectively. Ten patients (45%) had to start clean intermittent self-catheterization after surgery.

Detrusor myectomy is successful in approximately 80% of patients with idiopathic DO, although detrusor contractility is affected in most and almost half of the patients required clean intermittent self-catheterization afterward. This procedure should be offered as an alternative to enterocystoplasty as it is less morbid and does not preclude subsequent surgery if required. However, further evaluation of this technique is required in neuropathic patients.