Refluxing ureterointestinal anastomosis for continent cutaneous urinary diversion

Purpose: We question the statement that anti-refluxing ureteral implantation is mandatory in low pressure, high capacity reservoirs. In a series of patients with ureteral obstruction after implantation with an anti-refluxing submucosal tunnel reimplantation was performed as a direct ureter-pouch anastomosis. The same technique was used for primary anastomosis in a later group of patients as the method of choice for ileocolic and colonic continent urinary diversion. Materials and Methods: Direct ureteral reimplantation was performed in 10 patients in whom a total of 19 obstructed renal units were associated with an ileocolic reservoir. The retroperitoneal supracostal. approach was used to avoid complications caused by repeat laparotomy. The ileocecal reservoir was opened superior and the obstructed ureter was identified and reimplanted via a buttonhole. The same technique was used for primary anastomosis in 20 patients (40 renal units), in whom the ureter was implanted in an ileocecal (10) or colonic (10) pouch. Results: Postoperatively complications did not develop in any patient. Radiography of the pouch postoperatively showed renal reflux in only 1 renal unit. In the group with reimplanted ureters median followup was 81 months (range 10 to 120). Of the 19 obstructed ureters 14 returned to normal, while 5 showed persistent grade I dilatation. Median followup in patients with primary direct ureteral anastomosis was 20 months (range 2 to 36). Of the 22 preoperatively dilated systems 20 returned to normal and none of the 18 nondilated systems was obstructed. Conclusions: Direct ureter-pouch reimplantation proved to be simple and safe. When performed primarily for continent urinary diversion, the anastomosis was anti-refluxing in pouches with high capacity and low pressure. The advantage of this technique is the low risk of ureteral obstruction and subsequent deterioration in kidney function.