The Local Microbiome Following Pediatric Bladder Augmentation

In children with bladder augmentation using ileum (ileocystoplasty, ICP) or colon (colocystoplasty, CCP) recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) represent a significant problem. Prior to augmentation such intestinal segments (IS) host a dense and complex microbial ecosystem serving numerous immunological, metabolic and defensive functions. At present it remains unknown, whether the mucosal barrier of IS invites gut bacteria into augmented bladders causing UTI's. In a long-term postoperative study we used next generation sequencing techniques to compare for each child the mucosal microbiome of the native urinary bladder (UB) versus the augmented intestinal segment (IS).