ULTRASTRUCTURAL INVESTIGATION OF THE ILEA L NEOBLADDER

Four patients had cold biopsies of the ileal mucosa 15-40 months after bladder substitution with an ileal neobladder. We used electron optic al systems encompassing scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy for ultrastructural evaluation of the specimen. Th e changes observed did not vary markedly from patient to patient. In a ll biopsies the number of normal intestinal mucosa cells as well as mi tochondrial density and number of microvilli was significantly reduced . In contrast the density of goblet cells was similar to that found in normal ileal tissue. These findings confirm the clinical observation that, on long-term follow-up, patients with an ileal neobladder show a decrease in urinary resorption via the ileal mucosa, whereas mucus se cretion tends to be constant.