Imaging-guided suprapubic bladder tube insertion: experience in the care of 549 patients.

Objective: Symptomatic bladder outlet obstruction and neurogenic bladder are common conditions that frequently necessitate suprapubic insertion of a bladder tube. The purpose of this study was to describe an experience with minimally invasive imaging-guided percutaneous suprapubic bladder tube placement and the clinical and technical success and complications encountered.

Materials And Methods: A total of 585 primary suprapubic bladder tube insertions and 439 exchanges of suprapubic bladder tubes were performed on 549 patients (469 men, 80 women; mean age, 66 years; range, 15-106 years). The details of percutaneous tube placement (indication, tube type, size at insertion and change, and method of insertion) were retrospectively recorded.

Results: The technical success rate for primary suprapubic bladder tube insertion was 99.6% (547/549) and for exchanges was 92.3% (405/439). The clinical success rate for primary insertion was 98.1% (572/583), and symptoms were unresolved in 1.9% (11/583). Minor complications occurred in 7.2% (42/583) of cases at tube insertion and in 4.8% (21/439) at exchange. There was one major complication (a patient needed surgery because the small bowel was traversed by a catheter), and there was no procedure-related mortality.

Conclusion: Radiologic imaging-guided percutaneous suprapubic bladder tube placement is a safe and effective procedure.