BLADDER REPLACEMENT BY ILEOCYSTOPLASTY - THE FINAL TREATMENT FOR INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS

Objective To develop and improve the technique of bladder replacement with ileum in patients with interstitial cystitis. Patients and method s A consecutive series of 27 patients (23 women and four men, median a ge 61 years, range 40-79) with chronic severe interstitial cystitis re fractory to conservative therapies underwent cystectomy and bladder re placement using an ileal pouch. The relief of pain was assessed over a median follow-up of 30 months (range 2-48). Results Pain relief was c omplete in all patients and the median neo-bladder capacity was 520 mL (range 350-700). Only four patients required intermittent self-cathet erization to drain post-micturition residual urine, Bladder calculi fo rmed in two patients and were removed successfully at cystoscopy. Conc lusion Bladder replacement with ileum in the form of the Kock pouch is an effective surgical treatment for intractable interstitial cystitis .