Experimental development of a fixed volume, gravity draining, prosthetic urinary bladder.
A fixed volume, semi-rigid, gravity draining prosthetic urinary bladder has been developed in experimental animals. The conceptual model demands: 1) an encrustation resistant lumenal surface; 2) successful urothelial-prosthesis and bowel-prosthesis anastomoses; 3) a transcutaneous abdominal wall prosthesis that bonds with skin, muscle, bladder, and peritoneum which resists external and intraluminal bacterial challenge; and 4) an air permeable, fluid impermeable filter which allows passive filling and gravity evacuation of urine. The principles involved have been successfully tested in rodents, rabbits, swine, and dogs. To date two total alloplastic prosthetic bladders fabricated from Biolor II and Proplast have been inserted in mini-swine for 4 weeks.