Complete Primary Repair of Bladder Exstrophy: Critical Analysis of the Long-term Outcome

To demonstrate the long-term outcome of a contemporary series of 64 children who underwent complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy (CPRE) in a single tertiary referral center.

Between 1998 and 2012, 64 children, 47 boys and 17 girls, were identified. Only 60 of the 64 cases were available for follow-up. The follow-up was done by renal bladder ultrasound and serum creatinine every 3 months and voiding cystourethrogram from 6 to 12 months postoperatively. Continence was defined as dryness ≥3 hours.

Median (range) follow-up is 14 years (from 5 to 19 years). Voided continence was achieved in 14 children (23%) after CPRE only. Additionally, 6 children were continent after bladder neck reconstruction (BNR) and 2 after bladder neck injection (BNI), raising the percentage of voided continence to 36%. The remaining 38 (64%) patients were using clean intermittent catheterization. All cases were continent at last assessment. The results of BNR or BNI were better in de novo than in redo cases (P <.05). The percentage of cases that needed augmentation ileocystoplasty in combination with multiple bladder neck procedures was lower in both female and de novo cases (P <.05).

The percentage of children with classic bladder exstrophy who underwent CPRE who will achieve continence with volitional voiding via the urethra is 36%. The continence results after BNR and BNI are better in de novo cases than in redo ones. Continence in female and de novo cases is more likely to be achieved with lower number of continence procedures.