Hysterocystoplasty: a new surgical technique for bladder reconstruction

Bladder augmentation in children: current problems and experimental strategies for reconstruction

Bladder augmentation is a demanding surgical procedure and exclusively offered for selected children and has only a small spectrum of indications. Paediatric bladder voiding dysfunction occurs either on a basis of neurological dysfunction caused by congenital neural tube defects or on a basis of rare congenital anatomic malformations. Neurogenic bladder dysfunction often responds well to a combination of specific drugs and/or intermittent self-catheterization. However, selected patients with spinal dysraphism and children with congenital malformations like bladder exstrophy and resulting small bladder capacity might require bladder augmentation. Ileocystoplasty is the preferred method of bladder augmentation to date. Because of the substantial long-and short-term morbidity of augmentation cystoplasty, recent studies have tried to incorporate new techniques and technologies, such as the use of biomaterials to overcome or reduce the adverse effects. In this regard, homografts and allografts have been implemented in bladder augmentation with varying results, but recent studies have shown promising data in terms of proliferation of urothelium and muscle cells by using biological silk grafts.

Cystometric analysis of the transplanted bladder

Objective

Cystometric evaluation of the bladder after autotransplant and isogeneic transplant in female rats.

Material and Methods

Two groups were constituted: (A) bladder autotransplant with two subgroups: R1 – (control) and R2 – (bladder transplant); (B) isogeneic bladder transplant with three subgroups; T1 – (control); T2–T3, two subgroups observed for 30 and 60 days after transplant, respectively. All animals underwent cystometric evaluation. Afterwards, the bladders were removed for histological study.

Results

The transplanted bladders did not show significant changes in filling/storage and emptying/micturition functions after 30 and 60 days of evolution. Upon macroscopical evaluation, there was good revascularization and the tissue was well preserved. Cystometry results: Did not show significant differences in the micturition pressure in subgroups T2-T3, but did between subgroups R1−R2, T1−T2, and T1−T3. Significant differences were verified in the micturition interval between T1−T3, T2−T3, but not between R1−R2, T1−T2. There was significant difference in the micturition duration between T1−T3 but not between R1−R2, T1−T2 and T2−T3. No fistula was noted on the suture site nor leakage of urine in the abdominal cavity or signs of necrosis or retraction were observed.

Conclusions

Transplant of the bladder was shown to be a viable procedure. The results indicate that there was structural and functional regeneration of transplanted bladders, and these results indicate that it is possible that vascular endothelium growth and neurogenesis factors are involved and activated in the process of the preservation or survival of the transplanted organ.