Bilateral Ureteral Reimplantation at Primary Bladder Exstrophy Closure

Purpose: We present the outcomes of children who underwent concurrent complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy and bilateral ureteral reimplantation vs those undergoing bladder exstrophy repair alone, focusing on the rate postoperative febrile urinary tract infections. Materials and Methods: We performed complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy with bilateral ureteral reimplantation using a cephalotrigonal technique in 15 patients (group 1) and without bilateral ureteral reimplantation in 23 patients (group 2). Postoperative assessment included ultrasound and voiding cystourethrogram in all patients. Outcome measurements included postoperative febrile urinary tract infections, hydronephrosis and presence of vesicoureteral reflux. Results: Mean followup was 34 months (range 6 to 54) for group 1 and 70 months (23 to 117) for group 2. Median age at surgery was 3 days for both groups (range 1 to 140). There were 10 boys and 5 girls in group 1, and 11 boys and 12 girls in group 2. Two of 15 patients (13%) in group 1 had hydronephrosis postoperatively compared to 10 of 23 (43%) in group 2 (p = 0.05). One patient in group 1 (7%) had a febrile urinary tract infection vs 11 (48%) in group 2 (p = 0.01). No patients in group 1 had postoperative vesicoureteral reflux compared to 17 (74%) in group 2 (p = 0.04). There were no complications related to ureteral reimplantation. Conclusions: Bilateral ureteral reimplantation can be safely and effectively performed during primary closure of bladder exstrophy in newborns, potentially reducing postoperative febrile urinary tract infections and hydronephrosis by early correction of vesicoureteral reflux.