Functional evaluation of different ileal neobladders and ureteral reimplantation techniques

To compare and assess the function of ileal neobladders with different reconfiguration and with several types of ureteral reimplantation.

Forty-five male patients underwent radical cystectomy and detubularized ileal neobladder. In 20 patients an ileal neobladder was carried out according to Studer's technique, in 12 a 'W'- and in 13 a 'U'-shaped neobladder. In the Studer's patients 60 cm of ileum was used, in the 'W' 40 and in the 'U' 30 cm. For the uretero-ileal anastomosis Nesbit's technique was utilized in the Studer's, in the 'W' and 'U' neobladders Camey Le Duc's technique was performed instead. Four patients underwent a serous-lined extramural tunnel reimplantation. Follow-up included a functional and morphological study of the urinary system and a urodynamic study.

All Nesbit's uretero-ileum anastomoses resulted refluent when the reservoir was filled up, 15 of 50 ureteral reimplantations according to the Camey Le Duc technique showed reflux at full filling. At 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up, the double reconfiguration reservoirs (Studer's and 'W') showed a larger capacity and a lower maximum pressure than neobladders with a single bending. At 12 months, continence and the voiding interval time was significantly higher in the double reconfiguration than in the 'U' neobladders.

The double reconfiguration of the reservoir ('W') might be preferable to that with a single one. As for the type of ureteral anastomosis to select, the problem is still debatable even if in our case-control study we have had better results in terms of reflux and stenosis with the uretero-enteric anastomosis with Nesbit's and associated afferent long tubular ileal limb than with Studer's technique.