Objective: This study examines the outcome of augmentation cystoplasty (AC) in children with stages III and IV chronic kidney disease (CKD) secondary to neurogenic bladder in which transplantation was not imminent.
Methods: Hospital records of all children with CKD stages III and IV who underwent AC between 2008 and 2017 were retrieved to study outcome and complications including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, National Kidney Foundation Calculator), somatic growth (percentiles, compared with population data), and febrile urinary tract infections (fUTIs) requiring admission. Statistical analysis was performed using R.
Results: AC was performed in 13 children with CKD stages III and IV (10 girls; median 8.0 years) with median follow-up of 51 months. Patients had incontinence (10/13), reflux (7/13), and hydronephrosis (13/13) despite antimuscarinics and intermittent catheterization. Bladder capacity was 74% of expected and median compliance was 5 mL/cm H₂0 (inter-quartile range 4 mL/cm H₂0). All underwent ileocystoplasty (25 cm bowel). One each had nephrectomy and mitrofanoff conduit. All had resolution of incontinence. One had acute kidney injury that recovered. Initial eGFR at presentation (24 mL/min/1.73 m²) improved with conservative management alone (52 mL/min/1.73 m², p=0.004). This improved further 1 year following AC (61 mL/min/1.73 m², p=0.036) with stable function at 7 years. There was improvement in somatic growth, hydronephrosis, and fUTI despite no ureteric re-implantation.
Conclusion: AC carries acceptable morbidity in children with CKD stages III and IV secondary to neurogenic bladder. Surgery is effective with improvements in continence, eGFR, somatic growth, and propensity for fUTIs. Ureteric re-implantation might not be necessary.