The Shanfield anastomosis revisited: Its applications and early outcome

Shanfield first described a simple ureteric implantation technique involving a U-stitch anchoring the spatulated end of the transplant ureter to the interior of the intact bladder through a small stab wound. We present an extrapolation of this principle to Mitrofanoff channels and native ureteric reimplantations and further extend it to a laparoscopic approach in some.

A retrospective case-note reviewing the Shanfield ureteric reimplantation in fifteen children between October 2014 and May 2017 was performed.

Fifteen children (females n = 9), median age 6 years (range 8 months-15 years), underwent a Shanfield anastomosis for ureteric (n = 3) or Mitrofanoff (n = 12) implantation into the bladder. Their diagnoses were: vesicoureteric reflux (n = 2), vesicoureteric obstruction (n = 1), neuropathic bladder (n = 4), exstrophy (n = 2, bladder and cloacal), nonneuropathic bladder (n = 3), cloaca (n = 2), and one with failed urethral reconstruction of a Y-duplication. Two ureteric reimplantations and one appendix-Mitrofanoff were undertaken entirely laparoscopically. The bladder was not opened in 9/15, with the remaining six in an ileocystoplasty and one complex cloaca. Fourteen patients were available for follow-up at a median 18.2 (5.8-43.3) months. There was no anastomotic leakage in any, and one stenosis was successfully managed with simple dilatation. One complex patient required a new Mitrofanoff channel.

Our preliminary data suggest that the Shanfield anastomosis offers a safe, robust, and simple antireflux implantation technique without the need to formally open the bladder. The technique offers several advantages as it allows overcoming the problem of inadequate tunnelling when the bladder template is deficient. Meanwhile, its simplicity permits it to be faithfully reproduced with laparoscopy in select patients.

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