Management of Recurrent Pelvic Fluid Collections in Adult Male Bladder Exstrophy Patients With Maintenance of Erectile Function

• Published in: Urology (Ridgewood, N.J.) N.J.), 2019-03, Vol.125, p.256-259
• Main Authors: Wong, Vincent, Cina, Davide P., Alexeeva, Olga, Brannigan, Robert, Nadler, Robert B., Hairston, John C., Kielb, Stephanie, Hofer, Matthias D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0090-4295; 1527-9995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2018.10.052

“To describe management options for pelvic fluid collections in adult patients with classic bladder exstrophy.” A single institution retrospective chart review was performed of patients who presented between 1998 and 2016 with a history of bladder exstrophy and pelvic fluid collections and 3 patients were identified. Patients had been followed for a mean of 9.0 years (1-23). All 3 patients required urinary diversions at various intervals following their exstrophy repair as newborns. All initially presented with symptomatic fluid collections located inferior to the bladder visualized by cross-sectional imaging. Mean age at presentation was 32.3 years (26-38 years). Two patients underwent drainage and sclerosing of cystic fluid collections with durable symptomatic relief for 1 patient. The other had recurrence of the fluid collections so he underwent marsupialization of the fluid collection which failed to sufficiently alleviate his symptoms. Ultimately, he along with the last patient, underwent open excision of the presumed hypoplastic prostate leading to resolution of pain symptoms, though the last patient did have some persistence of the fluid collection. All patients maintained their erectile function subsequent to these interventions. Adult patients with bladder exstrophy can present with painful cystic fluid collections potentially due to secretions from presumed hypoplastic prostate tissue. Sclerosing of the cyst can be successful in a subset of these patients, though some may require removal of the presumed prostatic tissue, which is curative and can be achieved with preservation of erectile function.