Clinical, Sonographic and Biochemical Profiles of Patients with a Mainz II Pouch Urine Diversion in Rural Uganda. A Case Series.

Background: Mainz II pouch urinary diversion is an alternative surgery for patients with an incurable vesicovaginal fistula (VVF). We report six (6) cases of patients who had incurable VVF and were offered Mainz II pouch surgery at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, between 2009 and 2018 and followed up in 2023.

Methods: A retrospective review of charts of 6 patients who were offered Mainz II pouch procedure and a cross-sectional assessment of their biochemical, sonographic and clinical profiles five (5) or more years after the procedure at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital were done. All case notes of patients who underwent the Mainz II procedure between 2009 and 2018 were retrieved from the registry and each patient profiled using a standard data abstraction tool.

Results: The ages of the six participants ranged between 16 and 65 years at the time of the procedure. Four of the 6 participants had lived with the fistula for less than 10 years. Four participants had only one delivery and the other 2 had five and six deliveries. All the participants had lived with the Mainz II pouch urine diversion for at least five years (5-14 years). One participant (1/6) had hypertension (BP=161/101). Most participants reported nocturnal incontinence. Sonographic findings revealed one-sided mild vesicoureteral reflux with loss of corticomedullary differentiation in two participants (2/6). One of six (1/6) patients had severe vesicoureteral reflux grade 4. The commonest metabolic disorders were compensated metabolic acidosis (4/6).

Conclusion: The Mainz II pouch procedure remains a viable option for managing incurable obstetric fistulas. However, the prevalence of metabolic complications, including acidosis and renal impairment, underscores the need for routine biochemical and sonographic monitoring to ensure optimal long-term patient outcomes.