Distal shunt obstruction in children with myelomeningocele after bladder perforation.

PURPOSE: We studied short-term complications and particularly the signs of shunt dysfunction after augmented bladder perforation in patients with myelomeningocele and ventriculoperitoneal shunts.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

In our series of bladder augmentations in 27 patients with myelomeningocele and a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in the last 10 years (1994 to 2004) we noted 4 who were 8 to 16 years old at our institute with bladder perforation 2 to 5 years after augmentation. Three patients received a colonic augmentation and 1 received an ileal augmentation. One patient underwent surgery for small bowel obstruction 2 years after the primary operation, when a hole in the augmented bladder was identified and oversewn. The other 3 bladder perforations occurred spontaneously or after failure to catheterize. An additional patient with spontaneous perforation underwent auto-augmentation elsewhere.

RESULTS

After primary open abdominal surgery and enterocystoplasty there was no sign of shunt dysfunction in any patient. Bladder perforation and leakage of free urine into the abdominal cavity occurred in 4 of the 5 patients. In those patients severe symptoms of shunt dysfunction, including headache and high intracranial pressure, were noted 2 to 7 days after perforation. In patient 1 there was only urine leakage into a small cavity close to the bladder and no acute signs of post-perforation shunt dysfunction. In all cases the shunt was externalized for 1 to 6 weeks without further complications.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with myelodysplasia who have bladder perforation and free urine in the abdominal cavity the peritoneum is chemically inflamed by urine. Resorption of cerebral liquor may be disturbed, leading to shunt dysfunction and high intracranial pressure. Therefore, it is important for the urologist to recognize and evaluate postoperative signs and symptoms of increased intracerebral pressure in patients with bladder perforation. If found, early computerized tomography of the brain is recommended.