Delayed linear growth in children with enterocystoplasties.

A series of 60 children whose urine was stored in pouches formed in whole or in part from bowel were reviewed to establish the effect on growth in height and weight. The mean age at operation was 7.8 years (range 0.9-14.1). Patients were included only if there were at least 2 measurements of both parameters pre-operatively and 2 post-operatively over a minimum follow-up of 2.5 years. Delayed growth in height alone occurred in 12 children (20%), with a mean loss of 25 percentile points (range 10-50). Delayed growth in height and weight occurred in 4. Accelerated growth in height alone, weight alone and in both occurred in 2, 7 and 7 respectively. There was no difference in a wide range of laboratory data between any of these groups. Although changes in growth rate (for better or worse) may occur for a variety of reasons after major surgery, delayed linear growth in isolation is an unusual and worrying finding that suggests a major alteration in bone development.