Long term evaluation of continence after complete primary bladder exstrophy repair

<bold>Introduction: </bold>Continence after bladder exstrophy (BE) repair remains a major debatable challenge to pediatric urologists, together with the lack of standard definitions and long-term results in large series.<bold>Objective: </bold>We assessed the long-term urinary continence in 142 toilet-trained cases after one (1-) stage of complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy (CPRE) and consequent procedures to achieve this goal in a single tertiary referral center.<bold>Study design: </bold>The current retrospective study included 123 boys and 19 girls with BE that were repaired by (1-) stage CPRE. The Mean age at (BE) repair was 9.5 +/- 2.6 weeks. Complete penile disassembly (CPD) was used for epispadias repair in 42 (34.1%) and modified Cantwell-Ransley repair (MCR) was used in 81 (65.9%) boys. Bilateral anterior transverse innominate osteotomies (ATIO) were applied in all. Urinary continence was expressed in terms of the dry interval (DI). Continence procedures were afforded if CPRE failed to achieve DI >= 3 h (hrs.), those were in the form of endoscopic bladder neck injection (BNI), bladder neck reconstruction (BNR), and bladder neck closure (BNC) with catheterizable stoma.<bold>Results: </bold>The mean age at follow up was 12.1 +/- 5.2 years. DI >= 3 h was gained in 23 (16.2%) after CPRE alone, while complementary post-CPRE continence procedures were required to reach this goal in the remaining patients. Deflux injection was reported in 10 (7%), CIC in 8 (5.6%), BNR in 32 (22.5), and BNC with catheterizable stoma alone in 37 (26.1%), or with Charleston pouch in 32 (22.5%).<bold>Discussion: </bold>We think that >= 3 h DI with voiding represents an appropriate definition of continence after BE repair. According to the results in the current series, we think that successful anatomical closure of BE is achievable, but the functional outcome in terms of continence and its evaluation is tricky. Results of continence were reported to change with age of the child, and it is difficult to evaluate both before toilet training age and long-term follow up.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Long-term follow up of CPRE with bilateral ATIO alone or with BNI results in >= 3 h DI in a few cases; BNR after CPRE can provide a good chance for continence; otherwise, BNC with catheterizable stoma is a valid option.