Long-term follow-up of sigmoid bladder augmentation for low-compliance neurogenic bladder

To assess the clinical and urodynamic outcomes of patients with low-compliance neurogenic bladder who were treated with sigmoid bladder augmentation (SBA) over a long-term follow-up.

We retrospectively reviewed 52 patients with low-compliance neurogenic bladder who underwent SBA alone or with antireflux techniques in our hospital from 2006 to 2014. Clinical outcomes regarding bladder function, incontinence, medications, catheterization schedules, subsequent interventions, bowel function, and patient satisfaction were addressed.

The mean follow-up was 49 months. All patients experienced significant increases in safe cystometric capacity from 113.8 ± 65.9 mL to 373.1 ± 66.7 mL (P <.001), bladder compliance from 2.96 ± 1.55 mL/cm H2O to 14.07 ± 5.45 mL/cm H2O (P <.001), and decreases in creatinine from 88.1 ± 38.6 μmol/L to 77.1 ± 30.4 μmol/L (P <.001) compared with those before surgery. Six patients (11.5%) required anticholinergic medicine to control neurogenic detrusor overactivity, and 11 (21.1%) had recurrent febrile urinary tract infections after SBA. Among 47 prehydronephrosis patients (grade I-II in 10 and III-V in 37), 16 still had minor hydronephrosis after SBA, but the hydronephrosis had been improved significantly (all posthydronephroses were grade I-II instead). All patients reported significant improvements in constipation, and no patient had obvious metabolic acidosis or bladder perforation after SBA. All patients expressed extreme satisfaction with the operation.

SBA provided durable clinical and urodynamic improvement for patients with low-compliance neurogenic bladder and constipation. SBA alone, without ureteral reimplantation, seemed sufficient for neurogenic bladder. Furthermore, there was a high level of patient satisfaction with SBA.