Comparison of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunctions in open versus closed spinal dysraphism: A prospective cross-sectional study of 318 patients

Decisional regret and impacts on quality of life following genitourinary reconstruction for neurogenic bladder: A comparison between acquired and congenital spinal cord injury

INTRODUCTION

Patient expectations and baseline health are important drivers of outcomes following major genitourinary reconstructive surgery for neurogenic bladder (NGB). Differences in expectations and quality of life (QoL) improvements among different populations with NGB remain insufficiently explored in the literature.

OBJECTIVE

To compare decisional regret (DR) and urinary-related QoL (UrQoL) in patients undergoing urinary diversion for NGB arising from spinal cord injury of acquired (A-SCI) and congenital (C-SCI) etiologies. We hypothesize that patients with A-SCI have higher expectations of improvement in QoL following surgery when compared with C-SCI, which may lead to higher DR and decreased UrQoL, postoperatively.

DESIGN

In this cross-sectional survey study, we compared A-SCI to C-SCI in terms of DR, UrQoL, and postoperative changes in self-reported physical health, mental health, and pain using validated patient-reported outcome measures.

SETTING

Participants were enrolled from a quaternary care institution via mail and MyChart.

PARTICIPANTS

The A-SCI group consistied of 17 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury the C-SCI group was composed of 20 patients with spina bifida.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The Decisional Regret Scale, Short form- Qualiveen (SF-Qualiveen), and Patient-reported outcomes measurement Information system-10 (PROMIS-10) Global Health surveys.

RESULTS

The A-SCI group displayed poorer preoperative physical health than the C-SCI cohort, but absolute postoperative changes in this score, along with mental health score and pain level, were not significant after adjusting for baseline scores and follow-up time. SF-Qualiveen scores revealed significantly worse impact of NGB in UrQoL for A-SCI than for C-SCI when adjusted for other factors. No differences in DR were seen between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with A-SCI demonstrate lower self-reported baseline physical health compared with patients with C-SCI, which may have implications in setting patient expectations when undergoing urinary diversion. In this small cohort, we found a milder self-reported postoperative impact of NGB in UrQoL in patients with C-SCI.

Prenatal diagnosis and postnatal outcome of closed spinal dysraphism

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prenatal diagnosis of closed dysraphism (CD) and its correlation with postnatal findings and neonatal adverse outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study including pregnancies diagsnosed with fetal CD by prenatal ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at a single tertiary center between September 2011 and July 2021.

RESULTS

CD was diagnosed prenatally and confirmed postnatally in 12 fetuses. The mean gestational age of prenatal imaging was 24.2 weeks, in 17% the head circumference was ≤fifth percentile and in 25% the cerebellar diameter was ≤fifth percentile. US findings included banana sign in 17%, and lemon sign in 33%. On MRI, posterior fossa anomalies were seen in 33% of cases, with hindbrain herniation below the foramen magnum in two cases. Mean clivus-supraocciput angle (CSA) was 74°. Additional anomalies outside the CNS were observed in 50%. Abnormal foot position was demonstrated prenatally in 17%. Neurogenic bladder was present in 90% of patients after birth.

CONCLUSION

Arnold Chiari II malformation and impaired motor function can be present on prenatal imaging of fetuses with CD and may be associated with a specific type of CD. Prenatal distinction of CD can be challenging. Associated extra CNS anomalies are frequent and the rate of neurogenic urinary tract dysfunction is high.

Comparison between MRI and the Combination of 2D and 3D US in the Prenatal Diagnosis of Closed Spina Bifida

INTRODUCTION

Closed spina bifida (CSB) is a rare condition with a challenging prenatal diagnosis. Herein, we assess the conventional two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound (US) combined with three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the prenatal diagnosis of CSB.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we included 20 cases of fetal CSB confirmed by postnatal MRI, post-mortem pathological examination, or postpartum surgery. Prenatal 2D US complemented with the 3D US was performed in all fetuses to evaluate the characteristics of the conus, vertebral arch, and scoliosis. Moreover, MRI was performed to establish the split vertebrae, with or without a bulging mass. Thereafter, we compared the performance of the US and MRI.

RESULTS

Diagnosis accuracy of US was comparable with MRI (70% vs. 75%, κ = 0.62); US detected more cases with interpediculate distance ≥95% (55% vs. 35%, κ = 0.22) than MRI. On the other hand, MRI had a superior capacity for identifying vertebral arch fissures (20% vs. 35%, κ = 0.39). MRI and ultrasound had good agreement in the conus medullaris (65% vs. 70%, κ = 0.42) and scoliosis (45% vs. 35%, κ = 0.59). Both US and MRI detected 1 (5.0%) case with "lemon sign" and "banana sign." The missed diagnosis rates of US and MRI were 15% (3/20) and 5% (1/20), respectively. The misdiagnosis rates of US and MRI were 15.0% (3/20) and 20.0% (4/20), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Both MRI and 2D US combined with the 3D US had excellent performance in prenatal diagnosis of CSB.

[Guidelines on the urological management of the adult patient with spinal dysraphism (spina bifida)]

INTRODUCTION

Improved life expectancy and prenatal screening have changed the demographics of spina bifida (spinal dysraphism) which has presently become a disease of adulthood. Urinary disorders affect almost all patients with spinal dysraphism and are still the leading cause of mortality in these patients. The aim of this work was to establish recommendations for urological management that take into account the specificities of the spina bifida population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

National Diagnosis and Management Guidelines (PNDS) were drafted within the framework of the French Rare Diseases Plan at the initiative of the Centre de Référence Maladies Rares Spina Bifida - Dysraphismes of Rennes University Hospital. It is a collaborative work involving experts from different specialties, mainly urologists and rehabilitation physicians. We conducted a systematic search of the literature in French and English in the various fields covered by these recommendations in the MEDLINE database. In accordance with the methodology recommended by the authorities (Guide_methodologique_pnds.pdf, 2006), proposed recommendations were drafted on the basis of this literature review and then submitted to a review group until a consensus was reached.

RESULTS

Bladder dysfunctions induced by spinal dysraphism are multiple and varied and evolve over time. Management must be individually adapted and take into account all the patient's problems, and is therefore necessarily multi-disciplinary. Self-catheterisation is the appropriate micturition method for more than half of the patients and must sometimes be combined with treatments aimed at suppressing any neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) or compliance alteration (anticholinergics, intra-detrusor botulinum toxin). Resort to surgery is sometimes necessary either after failure of non-invasive treatments (e.g. bladder augmentation in case of NDO resistant to pharmacological treatment), or as a first line treatment in the absence of other non-invasive alternatives (e.g. aponeurotic suburethral tape or artificial urinary sphincter for sphincter insufficiency; urinary diversion by ileal conduit if self-catheterisation is impossible).

CONCLUSION

Spinal dysraphism is a complex pathology with multiple neurological, orthopedic, gastrointestinal and urological involvement. The management of bladder and bowel dysfunctions must continue throughout the life of these patients and must be integrated into a multidisciplinary context.

Preoperative Videourodynamic Study Is Helpful in Predicting Long-term Postoperative Voiding Function in Asymptomatic Patients With Closed Spinal Dysraphism

Purpose

Controversy exists regarding the role preoperative urodynamic study for asymptomatic closed spinal dysraphism as it has failed to reveal the benefit in surgical decision and expectation of urological outcomes. We explore the relationship between preoperative videourodynamic study and postoperative urological outcomes after toilet training completed, focusing on their capability of spontaneous voiding.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 181 patients who underwent preventive spinal cord untethering and followed at least till the completion of toilet training. Before untethering, patients underwent preoperative videourodynamic study. Postoperative voiding function was evaluated in 3 phases: (1) till postoperative 6 months, (2) till the completion of toilet training, and (3) 2 years after toilet training. Changing distribution of emptying pattern at each period was described. Also, relevance to preoperative urodynamic parameters on spontaneous voiding and urinary continence after toilet training was assessed.

Results

Spinal lipoma and low lying conus were found in 145 (80%) and 128 patients (70.7%), respectively. Spontaneous voiding was found in 125 (69.1%), 164 (90.6%), and 162 patients (89.5%) at postoperative 6 months, till the toilet training, and 2 years after toilet training, respectively. Videourodynamics helped to clarify the presence of vesicourethral synergy. This was correlated with spontaneous voiding at postoperative 6 months and better urinary continence after 2 years of toilet training.

Conclusions

Eventual spontaneous voiding was achieved till toilet training in 90% patients following preventive untethering. Those showing preoperative vesicourethral synergy was associated with faster achievement of spontaneous voiding and better urinary continence when they enter elementary school.

Four-hour voiding observation with provocation test reveals significant abnormalities of bladder function in newborns with spinal dysraphism

INTRODUCTION

Four-hour voiding observation with provocation test (VOP) using a scale, a damp detector and ultrasound for determination of residuals, is an easily performed non-invasive method for the evaluation of bladder function in newborns. Neonatal bladder function evaluated with VOP has been described for healthy newborns (HN) but not for children with spinal dysraphism (SD), for whom early bladder evaluation is essential for decisions regarding Clean Intermittent Catheterization and follow-up. The aim of the present study was to describe voiding observation with provocation test in newborns with spinal dysraphism and compare with corresponding data for healthy newborns.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

At a tertiary hospital, a 4 h voiding observation with provocation (VOP) was performed in 50 neonates (22 girls, 28 boys) with spinal dysraphism (37 open SD, 13 closed SD) consecutively evaluated for possible neurogenic bladder-sphincter dysfunction (1998-2019). All newborns with open SD and 4/13 with closed SD had been through postnatal neurosurgery before the test. Mean age was 10 days. Voiding observation was performed during 4 h with visual observation the fourth hour recording behavior and urinary flow (e.g. stream, dribbling). Finally, bladder provocations (e.g. suprapubic compression) were performed, and any leakage was noted. Findings were compared to those of 50 healthy newborns (HN) earlier published (Gladh et al., 2002). There were no significant differences in background data such as gender, age or diuresis between newborns with SD and HN.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Voiding observation with provocation test of children with SD revealed significant differences compared to HN see summary table. Some children with SD had frequent small voids/leakages and low bladder volumes while three had no voiding and high volumes. Leakage during bladder provocation test and not voiding with a stream was not seen in HN but were common in newborns with SD (69% resp. 74%) (p < 0.01). A child with these findings should thus be investigated further. Identifying children needing Clean Intermittent Catheterization is important as well as being able to postpone or refrain from invasive urodynamic studies if not strongly indicated. VOP may give valuable information for these judgements.

CONCLUSION

Newborns with spinal dysraphism differ from healthy newborns in many aspects of bladder function. Bladder function varies between newborns with closed and open spinal dysraphism. Many newborns with spinal dysraphism leak at bladder provocation and void without a stream but healthy newborns do not. Early determination of post-void residuals is mandatory in children with spinal dysraphism and non-invasive VOP gives this information in a standardized way, also adding information on frequency, voiding with a stream and leakage at provocation.