Regenerative urinary bladder augmentation using small intestinal submucosa: urodynamic and histopathologic assessment in long-term canine bladder augmentations.

Abstract

To evaluate small intestinal submucosa (SIS) as a possible bladder augmentation material. Nineteen male dogs underwent 35 to 45% partial cystectomy with immediate augmentation with SIS grafts. All dogs were evaluated pre- and postoperatively with blood chemistries, urine cultures, intravenous urograms, cystograms and cystometrograms. Postoperatively (1 to 15 months), bladders were examined with routine histology and image analysis. All dogs survived their intended survival period without morbidity. All results were normal. Histologically, all 3 layers (mucosa, smooth muscle, serosa) of the normal bladder showed evidence of regeneration. Small intestinal submucosa acts as a scaffold for bladder augmentation through regeneration and could be a potential option for bladder reconstruction.