Ten years' experience with the submucosally embedded in situ appendix in continent cutaneous diversion.

Objective: To reevaluate the submucosally embedded in situ appendix as continence mechanism in a large single institutional series of ileocecal urinary reservoirs.
Material and Methods: Between November 1990 and June 1999 an ileocecal reservoir with appendico-umbilical stoma was created in 118 patients (84 men, 34 women) aged 3.9-82.7 (mean 56.8) years as a primary urinary diversion or after failure of previous reconstruction. The most common indication for urinary diversion was bladder replacement after anterior exenteration for pelvic malignancies (n = 98), followed by functional or morphological bladder loss due to various benign conditions. The patients were followed prospectively according to a standard protocol.
Results: There were no perioperative deaths. In 3 patients necrosis of the appendix resulted in total incontinence with subsequent replacement by an intussuscepted ileal nipple. Impaired catheterization due to stomal stenosis was observed in 19 patients with recurrence in 6 and a total of 25 minor revisions. With a mean follow-up of 60 months all patients are continent day and night.
Conclusion: Over 10 years, the submucosally embedded in situ appendix has survived as a continence mechanism in the original technique reliably providing continence in ileocecal reservoirs.