Conversion from external appliance wearing or internal urinary diversion to a continent urinary reservoir (Florida pouch I and II): Surgical technique, indications and complications

A total of 20 patients with diversion requiring an external appliance or internal urinary diversion underwent conversion to a continent urinary reservoir (Florida pouch I or II). All patients subsequently reported an improvement in the quality of life and expressed satisfaction with the new urinary diversion procedure. Of the patients 15 (75%) previously had an ileal conduit, while 1 (5%) had undergone ureterosigmoidostomy, 1 (5%) had cutaneous ureterostomy, 1 (5%) had a suprapubic tube, 1 (5%) had a sigmoid conduit and 1 (5%) had a cecal conduit. After the original diversion 3 patients (15%) had recurrent urinary infections, 3 had complications related to the stoma and external appliance (stenosis and skin dermatitis) and 5 (25%) had ureteral obstruction in 7 ureters. A total of 17 patients with conduits (85%) underwent conversion via different surgical technical aspects depending on the status of the intestinal segment from the conduit and the function of the ureteral reimplantation: in 14 the conduit was discarded or was used only to patch the newly created Florida I colonic pouch, while in 6 the conduit was preserved and 9 ureterointestinal reimplantations were left undisturbed (Florida pouch II). Among 7 ureters preoperatively obstructed (original diversion), reimplantating them into the pouch failed to prevent further renal damage in 5 (71%). Three renal units required nephrectomy, 2 kidneys deteriorated and 2 recovered renal function after percutaneous balloon dilation and stenting. Among 31 preoperatively nonobstructed renoureteral units (original diversion), 22 were reimplanted into the colonic reservoir. One of these units (4.2%) became obstructed postoperatively and 3 (13.5%) presently have reflux. The 10 reimplantations left undisturbed in the detubularized conduit drain satisfactorily without postoperative obstruction and in 6 reflux has not been demonstrated. Renal function (serum creatinine) is preserved in all patients but 15 (75%) have hyperchloremia of mild degree. Two patients (10%) have acidosis and 1 (5%) of these had low red blood cell folic acid. Conversion of an external or internal diversion to a continent colonic urinary reservoir (Florida pouch I or II) can be successful and improve the quality of life of the patient. The functioning renal units that were preoperatively obstructed were associated with a high failure rate (71%) after reimplantation. Metabolic alterations will require long-term followup, and are particularly worrisome in children and young adults.