Gradual bone transfer for the correction of the pubic diastasis using the Ilizarov technique in closure of bladder and cloacal exstrophy.

Background: In the patient of the cloacal exstrophy, cloaca with local abdominal wall is disrupted and exposed inner surface of the bladder needs early closure. Pelvic osteotomies are required for severe cases whose bladder cannot be closed by the suture of soft tissue only. We developed a technique involving the gradual positioning of bone fragments using a light, Ilizarov external fixator. The usefulness of the technique was assessed.

Methods: We enrolled 3 patients with cloacal exstrophy and 1 with bladder exstrophy as a gradual transfer group and 6 patients who were treated by other osteotomies as a control group. The patients aged 6.7-8.4 months at the time of surgery were followed up for 4.0-8.6 years. An external fixator with carbon fiber half-rings was placed to internally rotate and anteriorly move the distal bone fragment over 2 weeks. Then, the bladder was closed. Computed tomography (CT) images were used to assess the pelvis form. Wound dehiscence and number of the surgeries after the osteotomies are also compared between the two groups.

Results: CT analysis of correction of the pelvic deformity achieved more and less decreasing its volumetric capacity in the gradual transfer group. No patients had wound dehiscence after the primary closure with pelvic osteotomy in the gradual transfer group but all had them in the control group. The mean number of the surgeries after the osteotomies were 2.25 in the gradual transfer group whereas 5.5 in the control group.

Conclusions: Sufficient closure of the abdominal wall and bladder was achieved in all cases in the gradual transfer group. The correction of pelvic bones were more with less decreasing of their pelvic capacities, no patients had wound dehiscence after the closure and there was an effect to decrease the number of the surgeries after the treatment by this method.