What Happens When You Remove Your Bladder

Do I Need New Clothes After A Urostomy

Loose-fitting clothes may be more comfortable at first, but you should be able to switch back to many of your regular clothes in time. Ostomy wraps or bands can help reduce any bulge and keep it in place. You may need to give up belts that press on the stoma or clothes that are tight over it, though.

Removing The Whole Bladder

A radical cystectomy means taking out the whole bladder and the nearby lymph nodes.

In men, the surgeon also removes the prostate gland and glands that store semen . This is because bladder cancer can come back in this area. In women, the surgeon usually removes the womb and fallopian tubes. Sometimes the surgeon removes your ovaries and part of your vagina. Your surgeon talks this through with you beforehand.

You may also have part of your bowel removed. This is so your surgeon can create another way for your body to collect and pass urine. It’s called a recto sigmoid pouch. Your surgeon will discuss this with you beforehand if you’re having this operation.

What Are The Risks Of Cystectomy

Like any major surgical procedure, bladder removal surgery poses some risks, including:

• Bleeding
• Organ damage
• Reactions to anesthesia

You may also have changes in how you urinate after any bladder surgery. Your bladder is smaller after partial cystectomy, so you may need to go to the bathroom more often. If you have a radical cystectomy, your ability to urinate depends on the type of reconstructive surgery you have.

For some men, bladder removal surgery causes sexual side effects. Men may have difficulty getting and maintaining erections. Because doctors remove the seminal vesicles along with the bladder, men will no longer produce semen.

Women may also experience sexual side effects. While intercourse is still possible, it may cause discomfort if doctors remove part of the vagina. Some people have nerve damage. This damage may limit a womans ability to become aroused and achieve orgasm.

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Should I Be Careful With What I Eat Or Drink With A Urostomy

No, just drink plenty of fluids, like water. Itâs best to limit caffeine and alcohol, because theyâre less likely to keep you hydrated. Thatâs important to lower your chance of infection.

Go easy on beverages near bedtime, and attach a larger night drainage bag to hold more urine while you sleep.

Your pouch is odor-proof, so you wonât smell anything until you empty it. If your pee has a very strong odor, it could be a sign of an infection. But other things can affect the smell, too:

• Foods, like asparagus, coffee, fish, garlic, and onions
• Medicines, such as antibiotics
• Supplements, like vitamins

Obstruction In People With A Penis

Possible causes of obstruction in people with a penis

• Cystocele. Cystocele occurs when the bladder lowers and pushes against your vagina.
• Rectocele. This is when the rectum expands and pushes against your vagina.
• Uterineprolapse. Uterine prolapse occurs when the uterus lowers and pushes against the bladder.

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Bladder Cancer Clinical Trials

What about Clinical Trials?

You may hear about clinical trials for your bladder cancer. Clinical trials are research studies that test if a new treatment or procedure is safe and effective.

Through clinical trials, doctors find new ways to improve treatments and the quality of life for people with disease. Trials are available for all stages of cancer. The results of a clinical trial can make a major difference to patients and their families. Please visit our clinical trials research webpage to learn more.

What Happens When Your Gallbladder Is Removed

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If gallstones are causing trouble or if you are suffering from biliary dyskinesia, your doctor can ask you to go for a gallbladder operation and have your gallbladder removed. While the gallbladder plays an important role in digestion, being the provider along with transporter of bile, it is believed not to cause any disturbances once it is removed.

For this reason surgeons propose gallbladder removal if the gallstones happen to be causing serious difficulties to your digestion tract. Many individuals who have their gallbladders removed claim that there might be gallbladder surgery complications and lots of changes in digestion.

The gallbladder stores bile directly from the liver and carries waste away from the digestion tract. Once the gallbladder is removed, bile from the liver gets directly transported to the small intestines.

It may take some time before the liver and the small intestines get used to the new procedure for carrying bile without the gallbladder. This often causes diarrhoea, probably the most typical gallbladder removal symptom. This is known as the post cholecystectomy syndrome, and may be felt days as well as years after the gallbladder is removed.

Against common belief, you could still get gallstones after gallbladder removal. Your gallstones could have entered the bile ducts before your operation took place. Removing your gallbladder would not have removed these stones. This may be a cause for the pain after the gallbladder removal.

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When Should I Call My Doctor

Let your doctor know if you think you may have an infection. Also tell them if:

• You have bleeding from the stoma that doesnât stop with a little pressure.
• You have pain, cramping, or swelling in your belly.
• Your pouch leaks regularly or doesnât stay in place.
• Your skin around the stoma keeps getting red or sore.
• The stoma turns dark purple, brown, or black.

Effects Of Cystectomy On Urination

Bladder surgery can affect how you pass urine. If you have had a partial cystectomy, this might be limited to having to go more often .

If you have a radical cystectomy, you’ll need reconstructive surgery to create a new way for urine to leave your body. Depending on the type of reconstruction, you might need to learn how to empty your urostomy bag or put a catheter into your stoma. Aside from these changes, urinary diversion and urostomy can also lead to:

• Infections
• Blockage of urine flow
• Absorption problems

The physical changes that come from removing the bladder and having a urostomy can affect your quality of life, too. Discuss your feelings and concerns with your health care team.

To learn a lot more about urostomies, see Urostomy Guide.

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When Do I Have To Start Dialysis

For most people, the need for dialysis comes on slowly. Symptoms, such as losing your desire to eat and losing muscle, may begin so slowly that you dont notice them. Many people start dialysis when their kidney function is between 5 and 10. When kidney function is this low, you may have symptoms from kidney failure and starting dialysis may help relieve them. Starting dialysis can help you regain your appetite and maintain your strength, which is harder to rebuild than it is to retain. Your health care provider can help you decide the best time to begin treatment.

What Happens When Your Kidneys Fail

Kidneys act as a natural filter for all the waste products produced in the body, they also help to regulate the fluid and electrolyte balance. They help to keep the blood pressure within normal limits and secrete a hormone which helps in red blood cell production.

When kidneys fail to perform their normal function, the waste products accumulate in the blood and the fluid balance is disturbed, this is termed as kidney failure on ESRD , which can happen gradually or suddenly. People with ESRD need dialysis or transplant to sustain life.

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What Happens During Gallbladder Removal Surgery

There are 2 main ways of removing a gallbladder:

• laparoscopic cholecystectomy several small cuts are made in your tummy and fine surgical instruments are used to access and remove your gallbladder
• open cholecystectomy a single larger incision is made in your tummy to access and remove your gallbladder

Keyhole surgery is used most often because you can leave hospital sooner, recover faster and are left with smaller scars than with an open procedure.

Both techniques are performed under general anaesthetic, which means you’ll be asleep during the operation and won’t feel any pain while it’s carried out.

What Causes Kidney Failure

Kidney failure may occur from an acute situation that injures the kidneys or from chronic diseases that gradually cause the kidneys to stop functioning.

In acute renal failure, kidney function is lost rapidly and can occur from a variety of insults to the body. Since most people have two kidneys, both kidneys must be damaged for complete kidney failure to occur. Fortunately, if only one kidney fails or is diseased it can be removed, and the remaining kidney may continue to have normal kidney function. If both patients kidneys are injured or diseased, a donor kidney may be transplanted.

The list of causes of kidney failure is often categorized based on where the injury has occurred.

Prerenal causes causes are due to decreased blood supply to the kidney. Examples of prerenal causes of kidney failure are:

• Hypovolemia due to blood loss

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Where Can I Learn More About Neobladders

Get the Facts | Neobladder is filled with advice from patients who have experienced it.

Read some practical questions and answers from Michael, a bladder cancer survivor living with a neobladder.

A radical cystectomy is considered major surgery and at least 20% of patients have complications as a result, regardless of approach. The choice of which type of reconstruction to utilize is a highly-individualized decision between the patient and the doctor, and depends on a variety of factors, including the patients overall health, age, and extent of disease. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of reconstruction.

A discussion at the 2021 Bladder Cancer Think Tank virtual meeting addressed the Long Term Management of Urinary Diversions Beyond Selection to Management of Diversions. In this recording, listen to session co-chairs, Drs. Anne Schuckman, MD, and Kamal Pohar, MD, along with Sylvia Rodriguez, MS, Debra McCamish, RN, CWON and Miriam Quinn, BSN, CWON. They address stomal issues related to continent cutaneous diversions and ileal conduits. They include long term metabolic and nutritional issues for patients with urinary diversions, issues related to continence in neobladders with aging, and changes in renal function over time. Panelists also discuss surgical and non-surgical mechanical issues such as ureteral strictures and prolapse.

What Happens After The Operation

After the operation, you will be taken to the recovery room until you are awake and stable. Any pain or discomfort will be relieved with medications. Many patients will have an epidural, while others will receive narcotics as needed. Some patients will need to stay in the Intensive Care Unit , while most will be transferred to a regular hospital room.

Depending on the specifics of your surgery, you may have a tube placed into your nose to decompress the stomach. You will be able to start drinking liquids when your intestines begin to recover. Intravenous fluids will provide nutrition in the meantime. Drinking and eating too soon may lead to nausea or vomiting. You will also not have a bowel movement for several days after surgery until the intestines recover.

It is important to sit up and walk starting as early as the day after surgery. This will help prevent serious complications such as pneumonia and blood clots to form in the legs. Nurses and physical therapists will assist you as needed.

When you go home, most patients will be prescribed medication for pain and medication to prevent constipation, a common side effect from pain medication. Some patients may be given antibiotics. Take these as directed.

It takes about 5 working days for the pathology to return. Generally you will still be in the hospital. If not, we will call you with the results. Based on the pathology, we may discuss with you future treatments that may be necessary.

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Why Is Ileal Removal Done

Surgical removal of the ileum is also called small bowel resection. The most common reasons for the surgery may be:

• Uncontrolled bleeding due to perforated ulcers or injury.
• Blockage of the ileum due to tumors or scar tissue.
• Birth defects like Meckels diverticulum .
• Infections and ulcers that do not respond to medication.
• Inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease.

How Might My Life Change After My Kidney Is Removed

People who have only one kidney after a nephrectomy need ongoing care to monitor kidney function. You will need urinalysis and blood tests at least once a year.

You will also have to stay away from activities that increase your risk of kidney injury. For example, you should avoid high-contact sports such as hockey, football or wrestling.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

During a nephrectomy, surgeons remove all or part of your kidney. Healthcare providers may use nephrectomy to remove a tumor or remove a kidney for donation. While most people are born with two kidneys, you can usually function well with only one. You should be able to return to normal activities about six weeks after surgery. After nephrectomy, youll need follow-up care to keep an eye on the function of your remaining kidney.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/02/2021.

References

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In Your Hospital Room

The length of time youre in the hospital after your surgery depends on your recovery. Some people leave after 3 to 4 days, while other people stay longer. Your nurse will teach you how to recover after your surgery.

Read the resource to learn about what you can do to stay safe and keep from falling while youre in the hospital.

Moving around and walking

Moving around and walking will help lower your risk for blood clots and pneumonia. It will also help stimulate your bowels so they start working again. Your nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist will help you move around. They will also give you medication to relieve pain.

Try to follow the moving and walking goals below. These goals are also in your recovery pathway.

Managing your pain

You will have some pain after your surgery.

• If you have an epidural catheter, you will get pain medication into your epidural space. You will be able to control your medication using a PCA device.
• If you dont have an epidural catheter, you will get pain medication in your IV line.
• Once youre able to eat normal food, you will get oral pain medication .

You will be given a prescription for pain medication before you leave the hospital. Talk with your doctor or nurse about possible side effects and when you should start switching to over-the-counter pain medications.

Eating

Showering

Basic Skin Care With A Urostomy

If you have a pouch, youâll need to pay attention to the skin around the stoma to keep it from getting sore. To avoid skin problems:

• Be gentle when you remove the pouch.
• Change your pouch as often as your nurse tells you to. Doing it too often or not enough can cause skin problems.
• Donât use more tape than you need.
• Make sure your pouch fits your bodyâs shape.
• Measure your stoma carefully so you can cut your pouchâs skin barrier to fit closely.

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What Are The Types Of Urinary Diversions

Once the bladder is separated from the ureters and urethra, it is necessary to provide another way to collect and drain the urine. Several options exist and depend on the overall health of the patient, the extent of cancer, and an individualâs motivation and active participation in their care.

In selected patients, a portion of the intestines is used to create a new bladder or neo-bladder . The ureters are joined to one end of the neo-bladder and the other end is connected to the remaining portion of the urethra. The new bladder is constructed in such a way that it will provide a reservoir to store urine and control urine flow. You may urinate in much the same way you do now.

For patients who receive the neo-bladder, you will notice that you will not be able to hold any urine in the neo-bladder initially. This is temporary. Please buy incontinence pads or pull-ups for the first few weeks to months after the surgery. Most patients will gain control of their urine within a few months.

NeobladderContinent DiversionIleal Conduit

However, at the time of surgery if your urethra is involved with cancer, it will need to be removed and some patients may benefit from creating a continent diversion, where one end of the new bladder will be brought out to the side of the abdomen to create a stoma without the use of an appliance bag. A small catheter is then passed through the stoma to drain out the urine and empty the new bladder 4 to 6 times a day.

Preparing For A Radical Cystectomy

Once your surgery date has been scheduled, youll receive Your Guide to Radical Cystectomy: Preparing for and Recovering from Surgery. This booklet provides checklists for tracking each step you need to take before and after surgery, details about what to expect throughout each stage of the process, and instructions on what to do, what to bring and where to go on the day of surgery. At Johns Hopkins, we have developed an enhanced recovery after surgery critical care pathway to improve outcomes of our bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy.

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