title: Imaging-guided suprapubic bladder tube insertion: experience in the care of 549 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Symptomatic bladder outlet obstruction and neurogenic bladder are common conditions that frequently necessitate suprapubic insertion of a bladder tube. The purpose of this study was to describe an experience with minimally invasive imaging-guided percutaneous suprapubic bladder tube placement and the clinical and technical success and complications encountered.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 585 primary suprapubic bladder tube insertions and 439 exchanges of suprapubic bladder tubes were performed on 549 patients (469 men, 80 women; mean age, 66 years; range, 15-106 years). The details of percutaneous tube placement (indication, tube type, size at insertion and change, and method of insertion) were retrospectively recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The technical success rate for primary suprapubic bladder tube insertion was 99.6% (547/549) and for exchanges was 92.3% (405/439). The clinical success rate for primary insertion was 98.1% (572/583), and symptoms were unresolved in 1.9% (11/583). Minor complications occurred in 7.2% (42/583) of cases at tube insertion and in 4.8% (21/439) at exchange. There was one major complication (a patient needed surgery because the small bowel was traversed by a catheter), and there was no procedure-related mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiologic imaging-guided percutaneous suprapubic bladder tube placement is a safe and effective procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Abdominal Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., White 270, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Carmel G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: Debra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gervais
authors.forename: Peter F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arellano
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guimares
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D001750:Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*