A New Approach to Cloaca: Laparoscopic Separation of the Urogenital Sinus

A prospective cohort study of assisted bladder emptying following primary cloacal repair: The Children's National experience

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

Although the combination of bladder dysfunction and upper tract anomalies puts patient with cloaca at risk for renal disease, the rarity of this condition makes it difficult to study empirically. As a high-volume center, we uniquely capture bladder function outcomes following our growing number of cloacal repairs.

OBJECTIVE

1) Describe the rates of incomplete bladder emptying following primary cloacal repair (at 2-3 months after repair and last follow up), and 2) identify clinical factors associated with assisted bladder emptying.

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a prospective cohort study of patients undergoing primary cloaca repair by our Children's National Colorectal Center team between 2020 and 2021. The primary outcome was assisted bladder emptying at 2-3 months postoperatively and last visit. Covariables included preoperative characteristics (cloacagram measurements), ARM complexity (moderate = common channel [CC] <3-cm, severe = CC ≥ 3-cm), vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) status, sacral ratio (good ≥0.7, intermediate 0.7-0.4, poor ≤0.4), spinal cord status, means of preoperative bladder emptying, and operative details (age at repair, repair type, & concomitant laparotomy).

RESULTS

Eighteen participants were eligible. A majority had moderate cloaca (78%), VUR (67%), spinal cord abnormalities (89%), and good sacral ratios (56%). Preoperatively, 10 patients were diapered for urine and 8 had assisted bladder emptying. Surgical repairs were performed at a median age of 8 months (range 4-46). Nine (50%) patients underwent urogenital separation (UGS), eight (44%) total urogenital mobilization, and 1 (6%) perineal sparing posterior sagittal anorectoplasty with introitoplasty. Exploratory laparotomy was performed in 7 (39%) patients. At 2-3 months, 7 patients were voiding and 11 required assisted bladder emptying. Median length of long-term follow up was 12 months (range 5-25), and 8 patients were voiding and 10 required assisted bladder emptying. Postoperative need for assisted bladder emptying was significantly associated with assisted bladder emptying preoperatively, a shorter urethra and increasing common channel length, UGS and exploratory laparotomy. Spinal cord imaging findings were not associated.

DISCUSSION

Bladder emptying following cloaca repair is likely a result of congenital function and surgical effects. Indeed, increasingly cloaca complexity requiring UGS and laparotomy was associated with both pre- and post-operative assisted bladder emptying. The lack of association with spinal cord imaging may reflect a divergence between anatomy and function.

CONCLUSION

Approximately half of patients required assisted bladder emptying in this study. Associated factors included urethral and common channel length, the need for assisted bladder emptying preoperatively, the type of surgical approach and additional laparotomy. Being diapered with seemingly normal voiding prior to surgery did not guarantee normal bladder function postoperatively.

Ultrasound-guided endoscopy to improve accuracy of persistent urogenital sinus (PUGS) diagnosis in adult patient: A case report

Introduction

persistent urogenital sinus (PUGS) is a rare condition characterized by abnormal communication between the urethra and vagina, that can frequently be associated with other complex Mullerian malformation (33%). We present a case of PUGS associated with a complex Mullerian malformation diagnosed in adult age after the integration of gynecological ultrasound with hysteroscopy, both performed by expert operators.

Case description

27-year-old women was referred to our clinic because of frequent urinary tract infections and cyclic pelvic pain. She was virgo, with normal menstrual cycles and dysmenorrhea. A didelphys uterus and double vagina with bilateral hematocolpos was firstly diagnosed through transrectal and transabdominal ultrasound. An MRI was then performed and a monorenal and ipsilateral ureteral malformation were diagnosed; in addition, a complete absence of the lower third of the vagina and an abnormal origin of the urethra from the bladder were described. Patient underwent lower genital tract endoscopy: external vaginal orifice was obliterated, a PUGS was diagnosed and both vaginas' ostia were detected on the PUGS's posterior-lateral walls. The procedure was performed under transabdominal ultrasound guidance which confirmed the endoscopic anatomical suspicion, avoiding complications such as perforation and misdiagnosis.

Discussion

ultrasound guided endoscopy plays an essential role in the evaluation of complex anatomic anomalies, such as persistent urogenital sinus (PUGS), leading to a dynamic one-stop diagnosis; it avoids delays and misdiagnosis in preoperative assessment possibly related to the separately application of different radiological and endoscopic techniques.

An Alternative Approach to Single-Stage Cloaca Repair: Image-Guided Anorectoplasty with Delayed Vaginoplasty

BACKGROUND

Cloacal anomalies occur when a fetus's rectum, vagina, and urethra fail to separate and result in 1 common channel at birth. They are commonly managed by complex reconstruction in the first year of life. This manuscript presents an alternative approach to management in patients with absent or nondilated Mullerian structures.

CASE

Image-guided, combined endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery (CELS) was used to perform an anorectal pull-through at 5 months of age on a patient with persistent cloaca and no definite vaginal or uterine structures seen on MRI and endoscopy. Urogenital reconstruction is delayed until adolescence.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

We hypothesize that performing a minimally invasive anorectoplasty on patients with complicated anatomy and low risk for hydrocolpos could potentially result in improved urologic function and better psychosocial outcomes. Delaying vaginoplasty will enable determination of the function of remnant Mullerian structures and allow the patient to direct the augmentation approach.

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Müllerian Outflow Tract Obstruction Associated with Cloacal Malformation and Cloacal Exstrophy

People with cloacal malformation and 46,XX cloacal exstrophy are at risk of developing Müllerian outflow tract obstruction (OTO). Management of OTO requires expertise of many medical and surgical specialties. The primary presenting symptom associated with OTO is cyclical and later continuous pain and can be initially quelled with hormonal suppression as a temporizing measure to allow for patient maturation. The decision for timing and method of definitive treatment to establish a patent outflow tract that can also be used for penetrative sexual activity and potential fertility is a complicated one and incredibly variable based on patient age alone. To understand the management approach to OTO, we put forth five phases with associated recommendations: (1) caregiver and patient education and evaluation before obstruction; (2) presentation, diagnosis, and symptom temporization; (3) readiness assessment; (4) peri-procedural management; (5) long-term surveillance. This review will emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary team management of the complex shared medical, surgical, and psychological decision making required to successfully guide developing patients with outflow obstruction secondary to cloacal malformations and cloacal exstrophy through adolescence.

Laparoscopic management of common cloaca: Current status

AIM

This study reviewed the literature on the laparoscopic management of cloaca.

METHODS

A Medline and Embase search was performed for "laparoscopy" and "cloaca." Articles for which full-text in English was not available, duplicate articles, and review articles were excluded. Demographic characteristics, duration of follow-up, length of common channel, postoperative complications, and functional outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

The database search retrieved 81 articles after excluding unrelated articles and identified new articles through cross-referencing 14 articles (72 patients) for this review. The rectal pouch was situated below the pubococcygeal (PC) line in three patients. In all other patients, the rectum was located above the PC line. Only the rectal component of the malformation was repaired laparoscopically in 80% (58/72). Fourteen patients underwent laparoscopic mobilization of the rectum and urogenital component. The length of the common channel was more than 3 cm in all these fourteen patients. The most common complication was rectal prolapse (n = 11). Functional evaluation by Krickenbeck scoring system was reported in 32 patients, of which 6/32 (18.75%) had fecal soiling > Grade 2.

DISCUSSION

Until recently, laparoscopy for the common cloaca was almost exclusively used in patients with low urogenital sinus with high rectal pouch. Moreover, only the rectal component was repaired laparoscopically. Recently, laparoscopic rectal mobilization and urogenital separation was described for patients with common channel length ≥3 cm. It has been reported that laparoscopic vaginal mobilization is easy and more complete by this technique and may avoid vaginal replacement in most of these patients with the long common channel. However, only two studies have reported this technique, and its reproducibility and long-term results are still awaited. Another interesting observation was the increasing use of urethral length along with common channel length in determining the appropriate procedure for the patients with common cloaca. Recent studies propose that the urogenital separation technique be preferred over urogenital mobilization in patients with the short urethra. Nonetheless, we still don't have long-term comparative data to demonstrate that the functional outcomes are better with this new algorithm. We conclude that the persistent cloaca needs an individualized approach, and laparoscopy can be utilized to mobilize the high rectum and is also helpful for the urogenital separation in patients with common channel length >3 cm. However, at present, there is no conclusive evidence to support that laparoscopic repair has a better functional outcome than the open approach.

Laparoscopic resurrection of an old technique; a new approach for Total Urogenital Separation and Rectal pull through in patients with long channel Cloacal malformation

Background and Aims:

Before the significance of urethral length was highlighted in patients with cloacal malformation, total urogenital mobilization using a posterior sagittal approach was recommended for common channel (CC) length <3 cm, those >3 cm it was followed by urogenital separation. However, many urologists are advocating that the urethral length rather than length of the CC should influence the choice of operation. It is also recommended that total urogenital mobilization should be avoided in patients with short urethral length as intraoperative decision to shift to urogenital separation will risk devascularization of the urethra, advocating total urogenital separation (TUS) from the start; the later technique was deemed difficult using open approach. We describe our experience with laparoscopic TUS and rectal pull-through in patients with cloacal malformation.

Methods:

Six patients were operated for a period of 3 years from December 2017 to July 2021; they underwent laparoscopic TUS and rectal pull-through. Preoperative investigations included cystoscopy, genitogram, and MRI pelvis and abdominal ultrasound. IRB approval has been obtained from research ethical committee at Cairo University.

Results:

Six female patients born with single perineal opening had colostomy at birth. Age during the second operation ranged from 1 to 4 years. Length of the CC ranged between 2 and 5 cm. Proximal urethral length ranged between 0.5 and 1.5 cm and vaginal depth >3 cm. Average operative time was 4.25 hours. Postoperative period was 1–5 days and uneventful. On the long-term follow-up. No patient developed urethrovaginal fistula and one patient developed vaginal stenosis. All patients had no urinary problems, dry over 4-hour interval, voiding spontaneously, and had normal kidney functions.

Conclusions:

Laparoscopic urogenital separation, as well as vaginal and rectal pull-through for cloacal malformation, is feasible in cloacal malformation providing anatomical repair.

Laparoscopic Approach in Anorectal Malformations: How We Do It

Laparoscopy has a major role in the treatment of anorectal malformations (ARM) since Georgeson et al. introduced the laparoscopic assisted anorectoplasty in 2000. The majority of ARM can be repaired through a posterior sagittal incision without the need to enter the abdomen. Some ARM types require an abdominal approach to detach the rectum from the urinary tract in males or the vagina in females. Those malformations benefit from laparoscopy. In this article, we aimed to highlight the technical aspects relevant to the current laparoscopic repair of ARM.