The stapled continent ileocecal urinary reservoir in the surgical management of gynecologic malignancy

Should pelvic exenteration for symptomatic relief in gynaecology malignancies be offered?

OBJECTIVE

To review the outcomes of pelvic exenterative surgery done with a palliative intent and evaluate its role in relapsed gynaecology malignancies.

METHOD

This is a retrospective cohort study between April 2009 and May 2012 in Oxford Gynaecological Cancer Centre. Patients were identified from the oncology surgical database.

RESULTS

18 patients were identified with a mean age 54 (26-79) years, who underwent surgery for symptomatic recurrent cancer. All except one patient had radiotherapy prior to surgery. 12 patients had cervical cancer, five had vulval cancer and one had endometrial cancer. About half of the patients had major surgical complications; however, majority was patients satisfied with the outcome.

CONCLUSION

Pelvic exenteration in this context carries considerable morbidity and in this series achieved good symptom control with a mean overall survival of 11 months. Careful patient selection, adequate counselling and ongoing support are imperative of successful outcome.

Pelvic exenteration for gynaecological tumours: achievements and unanswered questions

Pelvic exenteration has been used for 60 years to treat cancers of the lower and middle female genital tract in radiated pelves. The mainstay for treatment success in terms of locoregional control and long-term survival is resection of the pelvic tumour with clear margins (R0). New ablative techniques based on developmentally derived surgical anatomy and laterally extended endopelvic resection have raised the number of R0 resections done, even for tumours that extend to the pelvic side wall, which were traditionally judged a contraindication for exenteration. Although mortality has fallen to less than 5%, treatment-related severe morbidity of pelvic exenteration still exceeds 50%, possibly because of compromised healing of irradiated tissue and use of complex reconstructive techniques. The benefits of exenteration for patients who have advanced primary disease or recurrent tumours after surgery, versus those who have chemoradiotherapy, are not proven by results of controlled trials, but can be assumed from retrospective data. Comparative findings are missing, and arguments are unconvincing to favour pelvic exenteration over less extensive treatments and best supportive care for palliation of cancer symptoms in most patients.

Continent ileocolonic urinary reservoir (Miami pouch): the University of Miami experience over 15 years

OBJECTIVE

A patient with a recurrent central pelvic malignancy after radiation will require urinary diversion as part of the reconstructive phase of the pelvic exenteration. The aim of our study was to assess the result of our 15-year experience with a continent ileocolonic urinary reservoir, which is known as the Miami pouch.

STUDY DESIGN

Since 1988, all patients who received a continent ileocolonic urinary reservoir in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Miami School of Medicine, were included in the study. Parameters that were evaluated during the study period include functional outcomes, early and late perioperative complications, and their treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 90 patients were identified from February 1988 to December 2002. Seventy-eight patients (87%) had a recurrent central pelvic malignancy, and 82 patients (91%) received radiation before the Miami pouch procedure. The non-reservoir-related morbidities were fever (76%), wound complication (30%), pelvic collection (12%), ileus/small bowel obstruction (12%), and postoperative death (11%). The most common reservoir-related complications were urinary infection (40%), ureteral stricture (20%), and difficulty with self-catheterization (18%). In our study, the overall complication rate that was related directly to the Miami pouch was 53%. Conservative treatment resolved>80% of these cases. The rate of urinary continence that was achieved in our patients was 93% during our 15-year experience with the Miami pouch.

CONCLUSION

The Miami pouch is a good alternative for continent urinary diversion during exenteration or radiation-induced damage. The rate of major complications that require aggressive surgical intervention is acceptable. Most postoperative complications (80%) can be corrected with the use of conservative techniques that are associated with fewer deaths than reoperation and thus should be used first. The technique is simple and effective in women who are at high risk, who have undergone previous radiation therapy, and who have a high rate of functional success and is a profound advantage for a woman's psychosocial well-being.

Major complications of urinary diversion after pelvic exenteration for gynecologic malignancies: a 23-year mono-institutional experience in 124 patients

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to analyze the postoperative outcome of patients undergoing urinary diversion at the time of pelvic exenteration.

METHODS

Between January 1980 and December 2002, 232 pelvic exenterations for gynecologic malignancies were performed in our hospital. One hundred and twenty-four included a urinary diversion. There were locally advanced or recurrent cancers including 101 cervical, 11 endometrial, 5 vagina, 2 ovarian malignancies and 5 pelvic sarcoma.

RESULTS

Ninety patients (72.5%) had a history of previous irradiation. Exenterations were 69 anterior and 55 total. Urinary diversion included 14 bilateral ureterostomies, 62 trans-intestinal diversion and 48 continent diversion using distal ileum and right colon. Pelvic filling was performed in 56 patients (45%). Low colorectal anastomosis was performed in 42 of 48 supralevator pelvic exenteration (87.5%). Postoperative mortality rate was 8% (10/124). Overall 12-week postoperative morbidity rate was 52% (65/124) and appears to be significantly higher in irradiated patients and after total exenteration. In trans-intestinal noncontinent group, eight patients were reoperated for a complication directly related to urinary diversion procedure. No reoperation for such a complication was performed in the continent urinary diversion group.

CONCLUSIONS

Ileocolic continent pouch seems to be the safer urinary diversion procedure after exenteration for gynecological malignancies especially in irradiated patients and after total exenteration.

Functional outcomes and complications of continent urinary diversions in patients with gynecologic malignancies

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to review our experience with continent urinary diversions in patients with gynecologic malignancies and evaluate the presentation and management of early and late complications.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed of all patients who underwent a continent urinary diversion on the Gynecologic Oncology Service at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center during the period January 1988 to March 2001. We analyzed our data to evaluate potential risk factors for complications. Renal status, conduit integrity, and overall patient outcomes were also studied.

RESULTS

We identified 40 patients who underwent a continent urinary diversion using an ileocolonic segment (Miami pouch technique). All patients had a history of gynecologic malignancies. The median age at the time of the procedure was 50 years (range 24 to 76 years), and the median weight was 69.6 kg (range 47 to 125 kg). A total of 39 patients (98%) had a history of radiotherapy. Continent urinary diversion was performed as part of an anterior pelvic exenteration in 12 patients (30%), in conjunction with a total pelvic exenteration in 18 patients (45%), and as the main procedure in 10 patients (25%). The median estimated blood loss was 2100 ml (range 200 to 8500 ml). The median length of hospitalization was 19.5 days (range 7 to 56 days). A total of 24 patients (60.0%) had a postoperative complications unrelated to the reservoir. Complications directly related to the continent urinary diversion were seen in 26 (65.0%) of 40 patients. None of the patients in this study group developed chronic renal failure, and there were no perioperative deaths. At last evaluation, 36 (90%) of 40 patients reported normal continent conduit function.

CONCLUSIONS

Continent urinary diversion using an ileocolonic segment is a reasonable alternative to the ileal and transverse colon conduit in bladder reconstruction in patients undergoing radical pelvic surgery. The routine use of postoperative total parenteral nutrition, the chronic use of antibiotics after discharge from the hospital, and the routine use of imaging studies remain controversial. In this group of patients, the majority of complications may be successfully managed conservatively.

A simplified method for detubularization in the construction of a continent ileocolic reservoir (Miami pouch)

The development of continent urinary diversions was an important step forward in improving the quality of life of patients undergoing pelvic exenteration. While the technique is relatively simple, it can be very time-consuming and uses a significant portion of the patient's colon in its construction. Here a modification of the technique for construction of a continent ileocolic reservoir which results in a similar reservoir that uses less colon and requires less time to construct is presented. We also report results of the use of this technique in seven patients.