Total genitourinary reconstruction in adult female epispadias: a report of 2 cases and literature review

Surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse for the woman with epispadia

Patient K.L., 32 years old. Menses started at thirteen years old, C 5/28. Patient had two vaginal deliveries in 2004 and 2010. Dysplasia cervicis uteri CIN2-3 was diagnosed in 2007, subsequently diathermoconisation cervicis uteri was performed. The woman was born with epispadia — extrophia of urethra to abdominal wall, without pubic bone. At the age of 8 she underwent an operation in Moscow. During the operation the neck of the bladder was formed as well as urethra, which opens in vulva, place of clitoris. When she was 8 years old, her bladder capacity was 30 ml, in teenage years — 90 ml. The patient also reported history of recurrent urinary tract infections. 2011.08.02 Patient took medical advice in out patient department Kaunas university hospital with a complaint of stress urinary incontinence: when going, coughing, sneezing, doing exercises, having sex and at rest of time. Also it was the sexual intercourse problems with orgasm. She was urinating 8 times per day but none at night. Gynecological examination: absence of pubic bone, vulva is abnormal: absence of labium major and clitoris. Urethra opens into the place of clitoris. Front and back walls of vagina are moving down (POP-Q II-III stage prolapsed). Cervix of uterus is short, epithelised (after diathermoconisation). Uterus is normal in size, in retro-versio-flexio position. — without pathology. Sonography: internal genital organs without pathology. Boney, Valsalva test are positive, Ulmstein test negative. Urodynamic study revealed a bladder capacity of 134 ml, voided volume 173 ml. Pressure of detrusor — 10cmH2O. Compliancenormal, max flow rate 13,8 ml/s, voiding time 24 s. Spontaneous contractions of detrusor were not observed. Surgical treatment: 2011.10.10 TOT (tension obturator tape). Anterior and posterior colporrhaphy and perineoplastic was performed. There were no complications during and after surgery. On the 2 day after operation patient was released from hospital.

Reconstruction of the Female Urethra: Versatility, Complexity and Aptness

PURPOSE

Female urethral anomalies, whether congenital or acquired, are rare. Urethral defects are usually if not always associated with variable degrees of incontinence. In this case series we demonstrate the approach in management and surgical outcome of congenital and traumatic urethral anomalies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted on 13 patients with an age range of 2 to 38 years (median 20). Of these patients 4 had female epispadias, 1 had hypospadias, 3 had traumatic urethral loss and 2 had iatrogenic trauma involving the urethra. There were 2 patients with urogenital sinus syndrome and 1 patient had urethral prolapse.

RESULTS

After the first stage of repair 4 patients were dry and socially satisfied, and no further intervention was needed. However, in 9 patients a second intervention was necessary to achieve continence. Notably 3 patients empty the bladder through clean intermittent catheterization.

CONCLUSIONS

Female urethral defects are usually complex. Congenital causes are associated with severe incontinence. Repair of such defects is challenging, yet 1-stage reconstruction is feasible and potentially successful.

A case of female epispadias without exstrophy treated with a novel vulvoplasty method

Epispadias surgery has mainly two components: bladder and genitourethral reconstruction. Herein, a novel vulvoplasty method, an alternative for the latter component, carried out in a rare case of female epispadias was presented. In a 6-year-old girl admitted with complaint of total incontinence, epispadias without evident extrophy associated with adequate bladder capacity was determined. Firstly the vulvoplasty in which a circumferencial skin flap around the urethral meatus was rolled backwards, and secondly bladder neck reconstruction was performed. The vulvoplasty resulted in sufficient cosmetic outcome and continence up to half an hour, and after cervicoplasty total day and night continence at rest or on exertion were obtained. It was concluded that this vulvoplasty with sufficient cosmetic outcome could be considered as a first stage operation in female epispadias, because it could facilitate bladder neck reconstruction by increasing urethral resistance, and contribute to continence.