Variation in Practice Patterns for the Management of Newborn Spina Bifida in the United States

Imaging characteristics predicting elevated detrusor pressures in patients with spina bifida

PURPOSE

Patients with spina bifida require urologic follow up with assessments of bladder and renal function. The ideal screening protocol for bladder compliance remains controversial. This study assessed associations between bladder end filling pressure (EFP) and detrusor leak point pressure (DLPP) on urodynamic studies (UDS) and findings from renal bladder ultrasounds (RBUS) and voiding cystourethrograms (VCUG).

METHODS

Pediatric spina bifida patients who underwent RBUS and/or VCUG within six months of UDS at a single institution from 2015 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, VCUG and RBUS results, and UDS EFP and DLPP were recorded. Multiple linear regression analyses and Pearson chi-square tests were conducted to correlate RBUS and VCUG findings with DLPP/EFP.

RESULTS

129 patients were included. In adjusted analyses, moderate to severe hydronephrosis on RBUS was significantly associated with elevations in mean DLPP/EFP (p = 0.006). Patients with round bladders had significantly lower mean DLPP/EFP than patients with elongated or conical bladders (p < 0.0001). The presence of trabeculations was associated with increased mean DLPP/EFP (p < 0.0001) and increases in severity of trabeculations were associated with higher DLPP/EFP (p < 0.0001). The presence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) on VCUG was not associated with significant differences in mean DLPP/EFP (p = 0.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal bladder shape and trabeculations on VCUGs in spina bifida patients had significant associations with increased mean bladder pressures on UDS. Assessment of bladder shape and contour by VCUG may be a valuable screening tool in conjunction with routine RBUS in determining the need for further assessment of bladder pressures in patients with spina bifida.

A multinational survey on the management of the urinary tract in newborns with spina bifida: Are we following current EAU/ESPU guidelines?

AIMS

In August 2019, the European Association of Urology (EAU) and European Society for Paediatric Urology (ESPU) published updated guidelines on the management of neurogenic bladder in children and adolescents. Our study aimed to establish whether members of the ESPU are adhering to these guidelines.

METHODS

We designed a survey comprising 26 questions using SurveyMonkey®. Respondents were asked about management of neurogenic bladder at birth in newborns with spina bifida (SB), urological investigations, as well as short and long-term follow-up in their institutions.

RESULTS

There were 103 respondents to the survey (754 recipients, giving a response rate of 14%) spanning 36 countries. 100% of respondents carry out a renal/bladder ultrasound at birth. Only 53% routinely commence clean intermittent catheterization soon after birth as recommended by the guidelines. Only 56% recommend anticholinergic medications after abnormal videourodynamics (VUDs). The guidelines recommend the use of continued antibiotic prophylaxis if there is evidence of vesicoureteral reflux and hostile bladder/non-conclusive results on VUDs which is followed by only 30% of providers. 63% of respondents carry out baseline VUDs at the recommended time. Seeing larger volumes of SB patients, having a formal SB protocol, having formal SB multidisciplinary clinics and working in a tertiary referral center did not make respondents more likely to adhere to guidelines.

CONCLUSIONS

Our survey demonstrated that large variations from the EAU/ESPU guidelines exist in practice. The study confirms that further work is required across institutions and countries to implement these evidence-based recommendations for standardized practice.

Urinary tract imaging in infants with spina bifida: a selective approach to a baseline DMSA

INTRODUCTION

There is no general agreement among paediatric urologists on how infants with spina bifida (SB) should be investigated after birth. Recently the EUA/ESPU guidelines have been published recommending a baseline DMSA scan in the first year of life and a Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG) or Videourodynamic (VUD) between the second and third month of life.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of renal investigations in the first year of life in infants with SB to verify if an early DMSA scan is indicated in the management of this group of patients.

METHODS

All renal imaging, Renal and Bladder Ultrasound (RBUS), VCUGs, VUDs and DMSA were reviewed by two independent assessors to evaluate outcome.

RESULTS

Seventy patients with spina bifida (40 girls) were enrolled between June 2015 and February 2020. An early VUD detected vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) in 8/49 (16%) of patients. An early VUD also gave additional information on detrusor under or over activity, bladder trabeculation, end filling detrusor pressure (EFDP) and sphincteric incompetence. DMSA scan detected renal scarring in 4/68 (6%) patients. Three of these 4 patients had significant history of febrile UTIs while the fourth patient had grade 2 left sided VUR.

CONCLUSIONS

The initial assessment of a newborn with myelodysplasia includes a Renal and Bladder Ultrasound during birth hospitalization. This study confirms the recently published EUA/ESPU guidelines on the management of neurogenic bladder in children and adolescents, which recommend a VUD or VCUG & Cystomanometry with Electromyogram (CMG) (if VUD not available) in the first 6-12 weeks of life. A selective approach to DMSA scan only in infants with SB who either had a febrile UTI or vesico-ureteric reflux would not have missed any scarring or dysplasia and would have saved 58 unnecessary nuclear scans.

Fetal spina bifida: What we tell the parents

Worldwide, about 150 000 infants are born with spina bifida yearly, making this condition one of the most common fetal central nervous system anomalies compatible with life. Over the last decade, major changes have been introduced in the prenatal diagnosis and management of spina bifida. In this review, we provide a brief summary of the current management of fetal spina bifida and present essential information that should be provided to expecting parents when their fetus has been diagnosed with spina bifida. This information is focused around common parental questions, as encountered in our typical clinical practice, to facilitate knowledge translation.

How early is early? Effect of oxybutynin on bladder dynamics within the first year of life in patients with spina bifida

INTRODUCTION

Early proactive treatment of patients with high-risk neurogenic bladder from spina bifida (SB) may preserve renal function and decrease the need for bladder augmentation later in life. Timing of initiation of anticholinergic therapy (AC) medication and clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is variable and based on imprecise studies. The authors hypothesized that initiation of AC after the initial video-urodynamic study (VUDS) may benefit bladder capacity even in children who do not meet the standard hostile criteria for starting AC.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained VUDS database from August 2015 to March 2019 was performed. Patients with SB who had undergone initial VUDS between 1 and 7 months of age and had a subsequent follow-up study between 9 and 18 months of age were included. Multiple VUDS and clinical parameters including expected bladder capacity, actual capacity reached, pressure at actual capacity, presence of detrusor overactivity, presence of urinary tract dilation and reflux, and whether or not AC was started were extracted and compared. P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 69 patients completed an initial study at median age of 2 months, and follow-up study at median age of 13 months. Anticholinergic therapy was started in 21 patients (10 F, 11 M). Decision to initiate AC was at discretion of the attending pediatric urologist performing the VUDS in real time. Changes between the initial and repeat VUDS are listed in the summary table below. Adverse effects of AC were reported in 25% (5/21) patients: urinary retention/UTIs (3), allergic reaction (1), and fatigue (1).

DISCUSSION

The authors findings suggest that AC stabilizes storage pressure for those who initially have a higher storage pressure, while in those with initial low storage pressures, storage pressures worsened over time in the absence of AC. Patients started on AC experienced a faster rate of increase in bladder capacity. Limitations to this study included the unknown long term and sustainability of the improvement in bladder parameters, the lack of uniform criteria for the initiation of AC or CIC, and an unknown long-term degree of upper tract protection.

CONCLUSION

This study found early initiation of AC in SB at 2 months of age had significant positive effects on growth of bladder capacity and stabilization of storage pressure. However, long-term effects of AC are still undetermined, and thus, longitudinal studies are needed to understand the precise indications for initiation of early AC treatment.

Neurological dysfunction of the bladder from myelomeningocele

Myelomeningocele (MMC) affects approximately 2000 infants in the US yearly and causes long-term damage to the genitourinary system. There is a wide spectrum of effects on the bladder and urethral sphincter that do not correlate with the level of the spinal cord defect. The bladder changes can provide a safe storage pressure, often at the expense of continence, or can create a hostile environment leading to increased pressure on the kidneys and eventually to chronic kidney disease. The ultimate goals in management are to maintain a safe system that prevents renal deterioration, while providing social continence and independence in the long term. This review intends to provide an overview of the effects of MMC on the genitourinary system, regardless of intervention, in order to understand the pathophysiology of the disease.

Baseline Urinary Tract Imaging in Infants Enrolled in the UMPIRE Protocol for Children with Spina Bifida

PURPOSE

The lifetime risk of renal damage in children with spina bifida is high but only limited baseline imaging data are available for this population. We evaluated a large prospective cohort of infants with spina bifida to define their baseline imaging characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The UMPIRE Protocol for Young Children with Spina Bifida is an iterative quality improvement protocol that follows a cohort of newborns at 9 United States centers. Using descriptive statistics, we report the initial baseline imaging characteristics, specifically regarding renal bladder ultrasound, cystogram and dimercaptosuccinic acid nuclear medicine scan.

RESULTS

Data on 193 infants from 2015 to 2018 were analyzed. Renal-bladder ultrasound was normal in 55.9% of infants, while 40.4% had Society for Fetal Urology grade 1 to 2 hydronephrosis in at least 1 kidney, 3.7% had grade 3 to 4 hydronephrosis in either kidney and 21.8% had grade 1 or higher bilateral hydronephrosis. There was no vesicoureteral reflux in 84.6% of infants. A third of enrolled infants underwent dimercaptosuccinic acid nuclear medicine renal scan, of whom 92.4% had no renal defects and 93.9% had a difference in differential function of less than 15%.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of infants born with spina bifida have normal baseline imaging characteristics and normal urinary tract anatomy at birth. This proactive protocol offers careful scheduled surveillance of the urinary tract with the goal of lifelong maintenance of normal renal function and healthy genitourinary development.

Advances in paediatric urology

Paediatric urological surgery is often required for managing congenital and acquired disorders of the genitourinary system. In this Series paper, we highlight advances in the surgical management of six paediatric urological disorders. The management of vesicoureteral reflux is evolving, with advocacy ranging from a less interventional assessment and antimicrobial prophylaxis to surgery including endoscopic injection of a bulking agent and minimally invasive ureteric reimplantation. Evidence supports early orchidopexy to improve fertility and reduce malignancy in boys with undescended testes. A variety of surgical techniques have been developed for hypospadias, with excellent outcomes for distal but not proximal hypospadias. Pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction is mostly detected prenatally; indications for surgery have been refined with evidence, and minimally invasive pyeloplasty is now standard. The outlook for patients with neurogenic bladder has been transformed by a combination of clean intermittent catheterisation, algorithms of diagnostic investigations, and innovative medical and surgical therapies. Posterior urethral valves are associated with considerable mortality; fetal diagnosis allows stratification of candidates for intervention, but ongoing bladder dysfunction in patients after valve ablation remains a cause of long-term morbidity.

Results of a prospective randomized control trial comparing hydrophilic to uncoated catheters in children with neurogenic bladder

INTRODUCTION

Children with neurogenic bladder (NGB) often require a lifetime of clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), typically using uncoated catheters (UCs). Hydrophilic catheters (HCs) have lower friction than UCs with reported less damage to the urethra. The purpose of this study is to compare outcomes between these catheters.

METHODS

An investigator-initiated, prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare HCs versus UCs. Children aged 2-17 years with NGB on CIC were enrolled for 1 year. Block randomization was used. Dexterity scores were obtained in those who perform self-catheterization. Outcomes were UTI, difficulty passing the catheter, urethral injury, and patient satisfaction.

RESULTS

Demographic data is presented in the Table. Seventy-eight patients were enrolled. Age and gender were similar between the groups. Fifteen patients in each group performed CIC via an abdominal wall stoma. Eight and 15 patients withdrew from the UC and HC groups, respectively. The HC group overall had more problems with the catheter, mainly difficulty with handling. There were no differences for passing the catheter, pain, hematuria, or urethral injuries. There were two urinary tract infections (UTIs) in two HC patients and 17 UTIs in seven UC patients (p = 0.003). Patients with UTIs in the HC group went from 16% in the previous year to 5% during the study. Three children in the HC group had three or more UTIs in the year before enrollment and none during the study. The patients that completed the study with HC were overall satisfied and many requested to continue with the HC.

CONCLUSIONS

HCs may decrease the risk of UTI in children with NGB. Urethral complications were low in both groups. Most HC patients were pleased but some found the slippery coating difficult to handle.