Long-term Efficacy of Repeat Incisions of Bladder Neck/External Sphincter in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of repeat bladder neck incision (BNI), with or without external sphincterotomy (ES). BNI/ES has been commonly used for management of neurogenic bladder in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. This was a retrospective review of institutional review board-approved SCI database. A total of 97 patients underwent BNI/ES over a period of 40 years. During the period reviewed, a solitary redo BNI/ES was done in 46 patients, a second redo BNI/ES was done in 23 patients, and a third redo BNI/ES was done in 7 patients with success rates of 50%, 68.2%, and 85.7%, respectively. The most common indications for surgery failure and need for repeat surgery were elevated residual for the first repeat BNI/ES, recurrent urinary tract infections for the second, and elevated residual for the third repeat BNI/ES. All patients had a normal serum creatinine level at the end of the follow-up. Mean elapsed follow-up after the last redo BNI/ES was 119 months (range, 6-408 months) for all patients evaluated. Mean durability of successful redo BNI/ES was 109.1 months, which was significantly longer than mean durability of failed redo BNI/ES at 69.4 months (P <.05). SCI patients undergoing BNI/ES may require repeat BNI/ES to optimize lower urinary tract management. The success rate ranges from 50% to 85.7% after 3 repeat BNI/ES procedures with acceptable long-term durability and low perioperative complication rates.