Quantified outcome for patients with bladder exstrophy

Outcomes of bladder exstrophy patients were studied in numerical terms using scoring systems for continence and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), along with renal function, in short-term follow up.

Patients who had undergone bladder-preserving exstrophy repairs, either staged or as a single procedure, and those who had been managed by bowel augmentation were included. Continence was assessed according to five variables (max. score 15) and HRQOL assessment was by means of a structured modified questionnaire scored on a Likert-scale model (max. score 150).

A total of 39 patients were followed. Mean age was 8.3 years and mean follow up duration 3 years. Mean HRQOL score was 107.55 (83-133, SD ± 19.31). Mean continence score was 8.73 (6-11, SD ± 1.544).

Evaluation of bladder exstrophy outcomes should not be done merely by reporting the length of dry intervals. If performed in numerical terms as outlined in this series, patients across centres will be comparable over a common assessment protocol. Continence score achieved in this series was low in comparison to the literature due to the strict evaluation protocol.