[The Mainz-pouch. 6 years of clinical experience]

The surgical technique for creation of the Mainz-pouch uses 12 cm of cecum and ascending colon and 2 ileal loops of the same length for construction of an urinary reservoir, which has proven applicable for bladder augmentation, bladder substitution as well as for continent urinary diversion. For the creation of a continent nipple in urinary diversion 6 cm of ileum in addition are necessary. As a modification we use the non-infected submucosal imbedded appendix as continence mechanism. Since 1986 a total of 247 patients underwent a Mainz-pouch procedure: 54 for bladder augmentation, 27 for bladder substitution and 166 for continent diversion. The appendix as continence mechanism was used in 30. Postoperative mortality rested under 1%, early complications have been observed in 4.4% and late complications in 13.7% (mean follow-up of 35 months). In the bladder augmentation group 52 patients are completely dry, 2 patients have urge and frequency and 5 patients are on intermittent self catheterisation to avoid residual urine. In the bladder substitution group all patient are continent at daytime. At nighttime 3 patients have leakage if they don't empty their bladder all 4 hours. In the urinary diversion group all but 3 are completely dry and are on intermittent catheterisation. The main problem of our initial series was prolapse of the continent nipple which has been solved by stable fixation of the nipple to the bowel wall and to the ileocecal valve or by using the submucosal imbedded appendix.