Evaluation of need for salvage continence procedures after failed modern staged repair

To assess our experience with salvage continence procedures in patients with bladder exstrophy.

We retrospectively reviewed our surgical records of patients with bladder exstrophy who had undergone failed modern staged repair elsewhere and underwent salvage continence operations at our institute from 1996 to 2008.

A total of 16 patients had undergone salvage continence operations. Bladder augmentation was performed in 11 patients (68.8%); 14 children (87.5%) received a continent, catheterizable stoma. In 6 children (37.5%) bladder neck injections were done. Three patients (18.8%) underwent bladder neck closure combined with other reconstructive procedures. A total of 49 continence procedures were performed, with an average of 3.06 per patient. We included all 16 children >5 years. After these operations, 13 of 16 (81.3%) became continent. Two children were able to void spontaneously and were dry day and night (12.5%). Of the remaining 14 patients, all of whom used clean intermittent catheterization, 11 (68.7%) were continent during the day and night with augmentation and/or a catheterizable stoma. Three patients were incontinent (18.7%).

Although the need to perform salvage continence procedures after failed bladder modern staged repair is high, when patients are appropriately selected, continence can be achieved eventually.