Introduction: The intestinal mucosa undergoes significant atrophic changes when it is used to reconstruct the urinary tract. We analyzed the ultrastructural changes of intestinal mucosa in the orthotopic neobladder on the basis of our clinical experience.
Patients and methods: Fifteen male patients with an ileal neobladder underwent endoscopic biopsy at different postoperative intervals.
Results: No significant changes were observed 3 months after surgery. After 6 and 12 months, the structure of the microvilli was modified significantly. No other substantial changes after 24 months were observed.
Conclusions: Progressive modifications occur in the cytoplasmic structures involved in the absorptive process. They do not seem to begin before 3 months and are almost totally completed after 1 year.
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