Omental wrap for salvaging bladder repair: A novel approach.

BACKGROUND

The bladder represents one of the genitourinary organs most vulnerable to iatrogenic injuries. Ideal repair can be challenging and may require augmentation to fully preserve bladder structure and function. The omentum has been employed as a flap or graft to close bladder defects.

OBJECTIVE

This study presented a novel approach involving a complete omental wrap for repairing a small-capacity, irreparably damaged bladder following cystotomy in a complex transvesical vesicouterine fistula repair.

METHODS

Salvage repair was performed on a severely damaged bladder that had resulted from a chronic vesicouterine fistula, using an omental wrap for augmentation. The omental wrap fully enclosed the bladder to enhance its recovery. The patient had an uneventful post-operative recovery, and follow-up cystography showed a small-capacity bladder with no leakage. Extended follow-up demonstrated resolution of the patient's symptoms and an improvement in bladder capacity.

RESULTS

This was the first documented application of the omentum as a complete wrap to support an irreparable bladder. The omentum's mechanical and anti-inflammatory properties provided significant support, leading to a rapid and complete healing of a bladder that initially appeared to have an unfavorable outcome due to extensive inflammation.

CONCLUSION

The use of omental wrap for bladder repair leverages the omentum's unique properties to support and augment challenging repairs, resulting in outstanding outcomes and expedited restoration in what would be considered a poor outcome procedure.