Current procedures for bladder substitution and urinary diversion at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research...

Following radical cystectomy for bladder cancer, 14 male patientts had a detubularized colic or ileocolic bladder substitute anastomosed to the membranous urethra and two female patients had urinary diversion to the valved and augmented rectum. There were no early deaths and the complication rate was low. The patients were followed for a mean of 12 months (2-28 months). During this short-term follow-up, no patients suffered deterioration of renal function or symptomatic urinary tract infection. Of the male patients, nine were perfectly continent, four had some incontinence during sleep, and one patient was incontinent day and night. Four had normal erections and three weak erections. Three have received penile implants, but it is too early to assess the need for this in the others. The two female patients were continent. Continent urinary diversion without a stoma appears to be a safe and reliable procedure, and patients should be offered one of these newer alternatives for replacement of the urinary bladder after cystectomy for cancer.