Longitudinal experience with Studer neobladders: Outcomes and complications

[INFECTIOUS AORTITIS-RELATED MORTALITY AFTER ILEAL NEOBLADDER SUBSTITUTION IN A PATIENT WITH DIABETES MELLITUS]

A 78-year-old man, who underwent total cystectomy with ileal neobladder substitution for bladder cancer 5 years ago, had a fever since the beginning of May 2022. He was hospitalized in an internal medicine ward of another hospital and was diagnosed with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Escherichia coli with sensitivity to almost all antibiotics was cultured in urine. Computed tomography (CT) showed that the distended neobladder with bilateral hydronephrosis contained gas and the severely athelosclerotic aorta. Even after using four antibiotics, the UTI could not be controlled. After 3 weeks of hospitalization, CT showed periaortic lymphatic swelling. Therefore, he was transferred to our hospital on 6 June due to uncontrollable UTI and lymphatic metastasis of bladder cancer. However, CT revealed that the neobladder remained distended and showed thickening of the periaortic soft tissue with gas. He was diagnosed with advanced infectious aortitis. Furthermore, he had poorly controlled diabetes mellitus of HbA1c 8.4%. Immediately after admission, an exchange of the urethral catheter and antibiotics, and blood sugar control strengthening were performed. On the second day, the patient was close to defervescence. However, on the third day, abrupt onset of loss of consciousness and abdominal swelling occurred. CT showed retroperitoneal hematoma caused by the rupture of the aorta. Then, bradycardia and respiratory arrest occurred, ventilator management and blood transfusion were performed, and the patient survived. However, his condition worsened, and he died 2 days later. The patient had undergone ileal neobladder substitution, but had infectious aortitis and died of an aortic rupture due to distended neobladder-induced UTI, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and the severely athelosclerotic aorta.