Multicenter analysis of posterior urethroplasty complexity and outcomes following pelvic fracture urethral injury.

PURPOSE: To analyze outcomes of posterior urethroplasty following pelvic fracture urethral injuries (PFUI) and to determine risk factors for surgical complexity and success. METHODS: Patients who underwent posterior urethroplasty following PFUI were identified in the Trauma and Urologic Reconstructive Network of Surgeons (TURNS) database. Demographics, injury patterns, management strategies, and prior interventions were evaluated. Risk factors for surgical failure and the impact of ancillary urethral lengthening maneuvers (corporal splitting, pubectomy and supracrural rerouting) were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 436 posterior urethroplasties identified, 122 were following PFUI. 83 (68%) patients were acutely managed with suprapubic tubes, while 39 (32%) underwent early endoscopic realignment. 16 (13%) patients underwent pelvic artery embolization in the acute setting. 116 cases (95%) were completed via a perineal approach, while 6 (5%) were performed via an abdominoperineal approach. The need for one or more ancillary maneuvers to gain urethral length occurred in 4 (36%) patients. Of these, 44 (36%) received corporal splitting, 16 (13%) partial or complete pubectomy, and 2 (2%) supracrural rerouting. Younger patients, those with longer distraction defects, and those with a history of angioembolization were more likely to require ancillary maneuvers. 111 patients (91%) did not require repeat intervention during follow-up. Angioembolization (p = 0.03) and longer distraction defects (p = 0.01) were associated with failure. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior urethroplasty provides excellent success rates for patients following PFUI. Pelvic angioembolization and increased defect length are associated with increased surgical complexity and risk of failure. Surgeons should be prepared to implement ancillary maneuvers when indicated to achieve a tension-free anastomosis.

Clinical Utility of Routine Follow-up Cystography in the Management of Traumatic Bladder Ruptures.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if follow-up cystography alters clinical management in patients after treatment of traumatic bladder ruptures. METHODS: Patients with uncomplicated blunt trauma bladder ruptures between 2000 and 2014 were identified in our institutional trauma registry. Primary management strategies consisted of either cystorrhaphy or catheter drainage. Primary outcome analyzed was occurrence of positive follow-up cystogram. Secondary outcomes were use of follow-up cystography and time to negative cystogram. RESULTS: One hundred forty patients were identified with a median follow-up of 6.2 months (interquartile range [IQR] 3.0-32.4). Eighty-two patients (58.6%) had extraperitoneal (EP) ruptures, 49 had intraperitoneal (IP) ruptures (35.0%), and 9 had combined EP/IP rupture (6.4%). Fifty-six EP patients were managed with catheter drainage, whereas all other patients underwent cystorrhaphy. Thirty-five cystorrhaphy patients (42%) had no imaging before catheter removal. Forty-nine patients (58%) had cystograms at a median of 15.0 days (IQR 10.0-22.0) after cystorrhaphy, with only 1 patient having a persistent leak. Forty-six catheter drainage EP patients (82%) had negative cystograms at a median of 19.0 days (IQR 15.0-33.0). Of the 10 patients with persistent extravasation, 7 required operations for related complications, whereas 3 had negative imaging at a median of 38.0 days (IQR 25.8-66.8), with a mean of 2.8 cystograms before a negative study. CONCLUSION: Follow-up cystography after cystorrhaphy for uncomplicated blunt trauma-associated bladder ruptures rarely, if ever, provides unanticipated clinical information. For catheter drainage EP patients, cystography remains clinically valuable, as at least 18% of patients will have signs of continued extravasation. The optimal timing of cystography and catheter removal remains unknown.