Exploration of health-related quality of life areas that may distinguish between continent diversion and ileal conduit patients.
OBJECTIVE
We explored the specific impact of urinary diversion type on HRQOL in men after cystectomy for bladder cancer. Our intent was to provide a basis for the development of a diversion-specific instrument.


METHODS
We invited 13 ileal conduit and 12 orthotopic urinary diversion (neo-bladder) male patients to several open-ended interviews. We explored HRQOL domains that may have been affected by cystectomy and urinary diversion, and that could then be used to form a basis for a diversion-specific HRQOL measure.


RESULTS
The average age of neo-bladder patients was 59 versus 65 years for ileal conduit patients. We identified 10 HRQOL domains, ranging from involuntary urine leakage to dietary modifications, which were recognized as important by ileal conduit and neobladder patients. Within each domain, a sufficient amount of overlap existed to allow developing a measure that might be applied to both groups of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Ten HRQOL domains were identified as important by ileal conduit and neobladder patients. These demonstrated a significant amount of overlap between conduit and neobladder patients. Potentially, these domains could be used to develop scales for distinguishing between conduit and neobladder-specific HRQOL detriments.
Ramirez
Alvaro
A
Department of Urology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Perrotte
Paul
P
Valiquette
Luc
L
Benard
Francois
F
McCormack
Mike
M
Saad
Fred
F
Fournier
Caroline
C
Shariat
Shahrokh
S
Karakiewicz
Pierre I
PI
D000368:Aged; D015653:Cystectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D014547:Urinary Diversion