Pelvic fracture urethral injuries in girls

PURPOSE: Injuries to the female urethra associated with pelvic fracture are uncommon. They may vary from urethral contusion to partial or circumferential rupture. When disruption has occurred at the level of the proximal urethra, it is usually complete and often associated with vaginal laceration. We retrospectively reviewed the records of a series of girls with pelvic fracture urethral stricture and present surgical treatment to restore urethral continuity and the outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1984 and 1997, 8 girls 4 to 16 years old (median age 9.6) with urethral injuries associated with pelvic fracture were treated at our institutions. Immediate therapy involved suprapubic cystostomy in 4 cases, urethral catheter alignment and simultaneous suprapubic cystostomy in 3, and primary suturing of the urethra, bladder neck and vagina in 1. Delayed 1-stage anastomotic repair was performed in 1 patient with urethral avulsion at the level of the bladder neck and in 5 with a proximal urethral distraction defect, while a neourethra was constructed from the anterior vaginal wall in a 2-stage procedure in 1 with mid urethral avulsion. Concomitant vaginal rupture in 7 cases was treated at delayed urethral reconstruction in 5 and by primary repair in 2. The surgical approach was retropubic in 3 cases, vaginal-retropubic in 1 and vaginal-transpubic in 4. Associated injuries included rectal injury in 3 girls and bladder neck laceration in 4. Overall postoperative followup was 6 months to 6.3 years (median 3 years). RESULTS: Urethral obliteration developed in all patients treated with suprapubic cystostomy and simultaneous urethral realignment. The stricture-free rate for 1-stage anastomotic repair and substitution urethroplasty was 100%. In 1 girl complete urinary incontinence developed, while another has mild stress incontinence. Retrospectively the 2 incontinent girls had had an associated bladder neck injury at the initial trauma. Two recurrent vaginal strictures were treated successfully with additional transpositions of lateral labial flaps. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes that combined vaginal-partial transpubic access is a reliable approach for resolving complex obliterative urethral strictures and associated urethrovaginal fistulas or severe bladder neck damage after traumatic pelvic fracture injury in female pediatric patients. Although our experience with the initial management of these injuries is limited, we advocate early cystostomy drainage and deferred surgical reconstruction when life threatening clinical conditions are present or extensive traumatized tissue in the affected area precludes immediate ideal surgical repair.     

Pelvic fracture urethral injuries: the unresolved controversy

PURPOSE: The unresolved controversies about pelvic fracture urethral injuries and whether any conclusions can be reached to develop a treatment plan for this lesion are determined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All data on pelvic fracture urethral injuries in the English literature for the last 50 years were critically analyzed. Studies were eligible only if data were complete and conclusive. RESULTS: The risk of urethral injury is influenced by the number of broken pubic rami as well as involvement of the sacroiliac joint. Depending on the magnitude of trauma, the membranous urethra is first stretched and then partially or completely ruptured at the bulbomembranous junction. Injuries to the prostatic urethra and bladder neck occur only in children. Injury to the female urethra usually is a partial tear of the anterior wall and rarely complete disruption of the proximal or distal urethra. Diagnosis depends on urethrography in men and on a high index of suspicion and urethroscopy in women. Of the 3 conventional treatment methods primary suturing of the disrupted urethral ends has the greatest complication rates of incontinence and impotence (21 and 56%, respectively). Primary realignment has double the incidence of impotence and half that of stricture compared to suprapubic cystostomy and delayed repair (36 versus 19 and 53 versus 97%, respectively, p <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In men surgical and endoscopic procedures do not compete but rather complement each other for treatment of different injuries under different circumstances, including indwelling catheter for urethral stretch injury, endoscopic stenting or suprapubic cystostomy for partial rupture, endoscopic realignment or suprapubic cystostomy for complete rupture with a minimal distraction defect and surgical realignment if the distraction defect is wide. Associated injury to the bladder, bladder neck or rectum dictates immediate exploration for repair but does not necessarily indicate exploration of the urethral injury site. In women treatment modalities are dictated by the level of urethral injury, including immediate retropubic realignment or suturing for proximal and transvaginal urethral advancement for distal injury.     

Urethral injury in the multiple-injured patient

A total of 74 patients with urethral injury due to external trauma consisted of 48 posterior urethral injuries (25 complete rupture, 23 partial rupture) and 26 anterior urethral injuries (two complete rupture, 16 partial rupture, and eight contusion). The diagnosis was made by retrograde urethrography. All 48 patients with posterior urethral injury had associated injuries, including a fractured pelvis in 46, and a mortality rate of 33%. Only seven of the 26 patients with anterior urethral injury had associated injuries and a mortality rate of 14%. The management of posterior urethral injury is changing from primary realignment of the ruptured urethra to suprapubic cystostomy alone and followed later by urethral surgery for the resulting stricture. The impotence rate is significantly lower with management with suprapubic cystostomy alone. However, the type of pelvic fracture, the urethral injury itself disrupting neurovascular structures, and the surgical dissection (initial primary realignment or delayed urethroplasty) must be investigated before it can be determined whether the impotence associated with pelvic trauma is caused by the injury itself or by the surgical dissection undertaken to reconstruct the urethra.     

Preventable long-term complications of suprapubic cystostomy after spinal cord injury: Root cause analysis in a representative case report

Background

Although complications related to suprapubic cystostomies are well documented, there is scarcity of literature on safety issues involved in long-term care of suprapubic cystostomy in spinal cord injury patients.

Case Presentation

A 23-year-old female patient with tetraplegia underwent suprapubic cystostomy. During the next decade, this patient developed several catheter-related complications, as listed below: (1) Suprapubic catheter came out requiring reoperation. (2) The suprapubic catheter migrated to urethra through a patulous bladder neck, which led to leakage of urine per urethra. (3) Following change of catheter, the balloon of suprapubic catheter was found to be lying under the skin on two separate occasions. (4) Subsequently, this patient developed persistent, seropurulent discharge from suprapubic cystostomy site as well as from under-surface of pubis. (5) Repeated misplacement of catheter outside the bladder led to chronic leakage of urine along suprapubic tract, which in turn predisposed to inflammation and infection of suprapubic tract, abdominal wall fat, osteomyelitis of pubis, and abscess at the insertion of adductor longus muscle

Conclusion

Suprapubic catheter should be anchored securely to prevent migration of the tip of catheter into urethra and accidental dislodgment of catheter. While changing the suprapubic catheter, correct placement of Foley catheter inside the urinary bladder must be ensured. In case of difficulty, it is advisable to perform exchange of catheter over a guide wire. Ultrasound examination of urinary bladder is useful to check the position of the balloon of Foley catheter.     

Die Verletzung der hinteren Harnröhre

Injuries of the posterior urethra are a result of a blunt trauma of the pelvic ring, lacerations of the perineum and iatrogenic perforation due to transurethral manipulations. Traumatic lesions of the posterior urethra in about 10% of these patients suffer also a bladder lace ration. The diagnosis of a urethral injury is ascertained by an i. v. urogramm and urethrogram. If a urethral trauma is suspected the insertion of a catheter should be avoided in any case. The treatment is divided in emergency treatment, which means evacuation and drainage of the haematoma and extravasation and suprapubic urinary derivation made by the surgeon and the primary realignment of delayed urethral reconstruction, both interventions being reserved for well trained urologists. Minimal lesions characterized by preserved continuity in small extravasations in the urethrogram are sufficiently treated by a suprapubic urinary diversion. Severe injuries are treated by realignment of the urethra over a splint, drainage of the perivesical space and urinary diversion. 63 % of the patient treated by this modality had perfect results and there was no need for further therapy. The proper replacement of the fractured pelvi bones are an integrated part of our plan of treatment. About 12% of patients with pelvic fracture and injury of the posterior urethra experience loose their potency. These can be explained by neurovascular injury. Impotence does not seem to be caused by surgical treatment, since the rate of impotence is similar in patients treated by primary realignment and suprapubic urinary diversion only.     

Transvaginal closure of the bladder neck and placement of a suprapubic catheter for destroyed urethra after long-term indwelling catheterization

We report on 6 women with continuous urinary incontinence as a late complication of an indwelling urethral catheter for neurogenic bladder. Pressure necrosis by the balloon resulted in progressive destruction of the entire urethra, with subsequent incontinence despite the catheter. Surgical attempts at bladder neck closure to correct the incontinence generally have been unsuccessful. Instead of supravesical urinary diversion, we performed transvaginal closure of the bladder neck and percutaneous placement of a permanent suprapubic tube cystostomy. All 6 patients remained dry after closure and none has shown upper urinary tract deterioration at followup for as long as 5 years.     

Posttraumatic complete and partial loss of urethra with pelvic fracture in girls: an appraisal of management

PURPOSE: Urethral injury in girls accompanying fracture of the pelvis is rare. We present our experience with 5 such complex cases and review the literature to define the types of problem and determine appropriate management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report on 5 girls with posttraumatic urethral injuries and pelvic fracture resulting in stricture as well as management based on the site and length of urethral stricture. Associated injuries and results are discussed. RESULTS: Of the 5 girls who presented with stricture 4 had undergone suprapubic cystostomy as initial treatment, whereas in 1 primary repair had failed. Urethral reconstruction using a bladder flap tube and distal urethrotomy into the vagina were performed in 3 and 1 cases, respectively. These 4 girls were continent although 1 required clean intermittent catheterization for a short period. The 3 patients with complete urethral loss had a more severe degree of pelvic fracture, including 1 treated with core through internal urethrotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Posttraumatic urethral injury accompanying pelvic fracture in young girls results in challenging management situations. More severely displaced pelvic fracture is associated with greater urethral loss and requires more complex repair. Cases of partial urethral injury or urethral transection without much displacement are better managed by primary repair of the transected urethra, which decreases morbidity. Primary repair may not be feasible in patients with extensive injury, who should be treated with secondary appropriate reconstruction after preliminary suprapubic cystostomy. Complete urethral loss may be managed by bladder flap tube neourethra creations with effective continence and excellent outcomes. Short segment distal urethral strictures may be treated with meatotomy or core through internal urethrotomy.     

Primary realignment of the disrupted prostatomembranous urethra

Urethral scarring resulting in stricture formation can be avoided or minimized by proper treatment after injury. On presentation of the trauma patient, the possibility of such injury must be suspected and the urethra evaluated prior to any attempts at catheter placement. Diversion in all cases of posterior urethral injury should be by a suprapubic tube, with any urinary extravasation drained at the site of the injury. If the patient's general condition allows it, the disrupted urethra should be realigned by a catheter after the puboprostatic ligaments have been divided. These measures allow the prostate to return to the urogenital diaphragm without tension and in line with the distal urethra. Until the prostate is released, no amount of traction will reapproximate the urethra, and after it is released, traction is not necessary. The suprapubic catheter provides diversion, preventing further complications caused by urinary extravasation; urethral alignment minimizes subsequent stricture formation. When the stricture develops, if it is urodynamically significant, it can be repaired in 4 to 6 months. If one is fortunate, the stricture will be short and amenable to internal urethrotomy. If not, open reconstruction will be greatly facilitated by the attempts to guide the distracted ends of the urethra together.     

Pelvic fracture-associated urethral injuries in girls: experience with primary repair

OBJECTIVE: To present our experience with four urethral injuries in females accompanying a pelvic fracture, managed with primary repair or realignment of the urethra. PATIENTS AND METHODS: There were three teenage girls and one adult (22 years old). All the patients had complete urethral injuries associated with a pelvic fracture from accidents. They were managed by immediate suprapubic cystostomy followed by repair or realignment of the urethra over a catheter on the same day. The catheter was removed after 3 weeks and a voiding cysto-urethrogram taken. Thereafter they were followed with regular urethral calibration. RESULTS: All patients voided satisfactorily with a good stream; three were fully continent and the fourth had transient stress urinary incontinence. One patient needed dilatation at 2 months and another visual internal urethrotomy at 5 months. At a mean (range) follow-up of 33 (9-60) months all the patients had a normal voiding pattern and were continent; none developed vaginal stenosis. CONCLUSION: Primary repair of the urethra, and if that is impossible, simple urethral realignment over a catheter, is the procedure of choice for managing female urethral injury associated with a pelvic fracture. The procedure has the additional advantage of reducing the risk of vaginal stenosis.     

Urethral obstruction from dislodged bladder Diverticulum stones: a case report

Background

Secondary urethral stone although rare, commonly arises from the kidneys, bladder or are seen in patients with urethral stricture. These stones are either found in the posterior or anterior urethra and do result in acute urinary retention. We report urethral obstruction from dislodged bladder diverticulum stones. This to our knowledge is the first report from Nigeria and in English literature.

Case presentation

A 69 year old, male, Nigerian with clinical and radiological features of acute urinary retention, benign prostate enlargement and bladder diverticulum. He had a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and was lost to follow up. He re-presented with retained urethral catheter of 4months duration. The catheter was removed but attempt at re-passing the catheter failed and a suprapubic cystostomy was performed. Clinical examination and plain radiograph of the penis confirmed anterior and posterior urethral stones. He had meatotomy and antegrade manual stone extraction with no urethra injury.

Conclusions

Urethral obstruction can result from inadequate treatment of patient with benign prostate enlargement and bladder diverticulum stones. Surgeons in resource limited environment should be conversant with transurethral resection of the prostate and cystolithotripsy or open prostatectomy and diverticulectomy.     

Partial tears of prostatomembranous urethra in children.

Five boys having sustained a pelvic fracture were found to have incomplete tears of the prostatomembranous urethra. Three patients were treated with suprapubic cystostomy drainage alone and fared better than 2 who were treated with urethral catheter stenting and drainage. A recommendation is made for the "hands-off" approach to the evaluation and management of membranous urethral injuries.     

Long-term analysis of suprapubic cystostomy drainage in patients with neurogenic bladder

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the roles of suprapubic cystostomy in patients with neurogenic bladder and analyzed the complications and their courses. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed 118 patients with neurogenic bladder managed with suprapubic cystostomy. The original diseases were spinal cord injury in 90, degenerative disease of the central nervous system in 15, spina bifida in 6, cerebral palsy in 3, pontine bleeding in 1, Parkinson's disease in 1, brain tumor in 1, and dysgenesis of the external sphincter in 1. Fifty-six (62.2%) of spinal cord-injured patients demonstrated cervical damage. Renal function, urinary pH and white blood cell values were measured and evaluated after insertion. The stone-free rate after insertion was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Indications for cystostomy were failure of clean intermittent catheterization in 62 (52.5%) and Credé's maneuver in 2, severe urethral damage in 30 (25.4%), replacement of urethral catheter in 3, worsening of the original disease in 15 (12.7%), deterioration of the general condition in 2, mental retardation in 2, and traumatic vesical rupture in 1. Frequent complications were formation of the bladder calculi in 30 (25%) and urinary leakage through the urethra in 11 (10%). No fatal complications occurred. The stone-free rates 5 and 10 years after insertion were 77 and 64%, respectively. The urinary pH of the stone-forming group was significantly higher than that of the stone-free group. The high urinary pH group (>7.24) had a higher risk of stone formation. CONCLUSIONS: Although continuous cystostomy drainage is not considered to be ideal management for bladder emptying, some patients with neurogenic bladder may benefit from this procedure.     

The radiographic approach to injuries of the prostatomembranous urethra in children.

We favor initial non-operative treatment (suprapubic cystostomy drainage only) for prostatomenbranous urethral injuries in children and adolescents. Non-operative treatment usually results in uncomplicated strictures that can be corrected by a 1-stage transperineal or transpublic operation 4 to 6 months later. A hands-off diagnostic approach, which relies on excretory urography and retrograde injection urethrography to demonstrate partial and complete tears, eliminates the need for blind passage of catheters, an invasive procedure that may lead to complicated strictures unsuitable for a 1-stage repair. If a 1-stage repair is planned it is necessary to determine the length of the stricture, whether there are local complications and whether the anterior urethra can be widely mobilized. The radiographic techniques used to plan a corrective operation and to evaluate the results are described.     

Should Echogenic Material in the Urinary Bladder Noticed on FAST Preclude Urinary Catheter Insertion in a Trauma Patient Until Further Evaluation?

Background  Serious urethral and bladder injuries are most often associated with severe blunt trauma. The most common diagnostic tool used to assess lower urinary tract injuries is a retrograde urethrogram. However, the decision to place a Foley catheter is often made on clinical grounds during initial stabilization phase of a trauma victim. If there is a clinical suspicion of a urethral injury, a Foley catheter should not be introduced until further evaluation is made. Focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST) is a major tool for primary evaluation of trauma victims. Treating trauma patients, we encountered an unusual “pick up”, namely, blood clots in the urinary bladder in two patients. Case Report  We report on two cases of severely traumatized patients on which FAST examination detected an echogenic material in the bladder. This correlated with severe injuries to the urethra and urinary bladder. Moreover, ignorance of this finding in a patient without obvious clinical signs of urethral injury (Patient 1) led to a Foley catheter insertion, and as a consequence, a complex jatrogenic injury to the urethra. On the basis of this study, we hypothesize that the presence of an echogenic material on FAST examination should be considered blood until proven otherwise, and a urinary bladder catheter should not be passed, even in the absence of clinical signs of urethral injury. Since urogenital trauma is rare, this concept should be validated in the prospective study in a high-volume trauma center.     

Urethral injury due to external trauma

Fifty-six patients with urethral injuries comprised 35 involving the posterior urethra and 21 involving the anterior urethra. Immediate retrograde urethrography confirmed the clinical diagnosis made when blood was found at the external urinary meatus after external trauma. Traffic accidents caused most of the posterior urethral injuries and were associated with severe injuries to multiple systems and a significant mortality rate (34 per cent). Primary realignment of the urethral injury by a urethral catheter in all cases of urethral rupture (plus a suprapubic cystostomy in most of these cases) resulted in a stricture rate of 62 per cent on follow-up. However, only half of these strictures required surgical correction. The incidence of incontinence was 10 per cent and of impotence 38 per cent.     

Complications associated with surgical repair of urethrovaginal fistula

We present 4 patients seen in the last five years with urethrovaginal fistulas involving the mid or proximal urethra. Our experience in the transvaginal repair of these fistulas has been disappointing. The best chance for the development of a functioning continent urethra is by suprapubic bladder flap technique or bladder tube replacement with suprapubic urinary diversion. We suggest that no urethral catheter be placed. Complications following surgical repair have been fistula recurrence, urethral shortening and retraction, persistent reflux, bladder calculi, and bladder cancer.     

Genitourinary trauma

Genitourinary (GU) organs are commonly injured in trauma patients. Although the kidney is the most commonly injured organ, other GU structures such as the bladder and urethra are also susceptible to injury. GU trauma is broadly divided into blunt and penetrative and based on the mechanism of injury. Prompt diagnosis and recognition of iatrogenic GU injury is also paramount. A delay in diagnosis and treatment can have significant consequences (e.g. abscess formation, fistulae and permanent renal impairment in the case of ureteric injury). Not all GU injuries require urgent surgery. Some can be managed with minimally invasive techniques (such as angiographic embolization), whereas others are managed entirely conservatively. The immediate management of these patients is geared towards haemodynamic stability. Haemodynamic shock that is resistant to the usual resuscitative measures often suggests ongoing bleeding and need for immediate intervention. The early management of most GU injuries with delayed presentation includes urinary diversion (through insertion of nephrostomy tube or suprapubic or urethral urinary catheter insertion) with delayed and definitive surgical reconstruction taking place at a later stage. Using the most up-to-date guidelines and published data we summarize the management of GU trauma by affected organ.     

Genitourinary trauma

Genitourinary (GU) organs are commonly injured in trauma patients. Although the kidney is the most commonly injured organ, other GU structures such as the bladder and urethra are also susceptible to injury. GU trauma is broadly divided into blunt and penetrative based on the mechanism of injury. Prompt diagnosis and recognition of iatrogenic GU injury are also paramount. A delay in diagnosis and treatment can have significant consequences – for example, abscess formation, fistulae and permanent renal impairment in the case of ureteric injury. Not all GU injuries require urgent surgery. Some can be managed with minimally invasive techniques (such as angiographic embolization) whilst others are managed entirely conservatively. The immediate management of these patients is geared towards haemodynamic stability. Haemodynamic shock that is resistant to the usual resuscitative measures often suggests ongoing bleeding and need for immediate intervention. The early management of most GU injuries with delayed presentation includes urinary diversion (through insertion of nephrostomy tube or suprapubic or urethral urinary catheter insertion) with delayed and definitive surgical reconstruction taking place at a later stage. Using the most up-to-date guidelines and published data we summarize the management of GU trauma by affected organ.     

Squamous cell carcinoma of suprapubic cystostomy tract without bladder involvement.

This report describes a third case of squamous cell carcinoma of the suprapubic cystostomy tract. The first case reported in 1993 concerned a squamous cell carcinoma arising adjacent to the suprapubic cystostomy site and extending anteriorly to the abdominal wall in a 80-year-old man, 5 years after suprapubic urinary diversion for urethral stricture. A second case published in 1995 described a 50-year-old paraplegic man (T11-T12 spinal cord injury) in whom a suprapubic cystostomy tract squamous cell carcinoma developed after 25 years of urinary diversion. The tumour involved the cystostomy tract primarily with extension into the bladder but did not penetrate the bladder wall muscle. Our patient is in fact the second one to have a suprapubic cystostomy tract squamous carcinoma not involving the bladder.     

Prostatomembranous urethral injuries: a review of the literature and a rational approach to their management

Controversy surrounds the management of prostatomembranous urethral injuries. We herein present 38 patients and review the findings of 538 in 19 reported series. Results indicate a high risk of stricture, impotence and incontinence if conventional early urethral realignment techniques are used. Therefore, it is suggested that this approach be reserved for cases demanding immediate intervention (high riding bladder, associated rectal tear, concomitant bladder neck injury or continued bleeding), and that all others be managed by initial suprapubic cystostomy alone and delayed urethroplasty. Urethroplasty selection is discussed.