What Is A Bladder Lift
A bladder lift involves cutting into the abdomen and lifting the neck of the bladder to return it to its typical position. This procedure corrects sagging in the urethra and bladder, so youre less likely to leak urine.
When a surgeon stitches the neck of the bladder in this lifted position to secure it to nearby structures, the procedure is referred to as colposuspension.
The surgeon may also place a midurethral sling under the urethra during the surgery. The sling acts like a hammock to support the urethra and the bladder and provide increased bladder outlet resistance.
There are two types of slings:
- Artificial sling: involves a small strap made of mesh
- Traditional sling: uses a small piece of tissue taken from your own abdomen or thigh
Bladder lift surgery typically has a high success rate, and the effects can last for several years. However, urine leakage may come back over time.
A 2019 review of studies found that overall cure rates were as high as 88 percent for colposuspension following surgery.
However, cure rate declined steadily to about 70 percent of people by 10 years after surgery. The cure rate appears to reach a plateau at 65 to 70 percent of patients at a 20-year followup.
Sling surgery is a newer procedure that seems to have similar or slightly better effectiveness as colposuspension, according to a 2021 study. More research is need on longterm performance, though.
Avoid Tobacco To Help Prevent Bladder Cancer
Every year, more than 50,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer. Tobacco use is a major risk factor, Badlani warns: Smokers are at least three times as likely to get bladder cancer as nonsmokers. If youre still smoking or using other forms of tobacco, its important to stop for bladder health and other reasons as well. Talk to your doctor about how to quit smoking.
Why You Might Consider Skipping The Re
With major advancements in the technology over the last 20 years, sacral neuromodulation is highly effective after a failed bladder sling procedure. In fact, many continence centers that treat bladder leakage regularly find that nearly half of their patients have already had a failed bladder sling procedure, and the results of sacral neuromodulation are still outstanding.
If only more people knew that over 90% success is achieved with the less invasive sacral neuromodulation! While it requires some effort to find the specialists with the required expertise, the benefits of a 25-minute procedure that does not require general anesthesia or daily medications are well worth it.
It was FDA approved nearly 20 years ago and has been dramatically improved over the years, but here is the best part: The device itself has become miniaturized while the battery life now exceeds a whopping 15 years.
See also: Urinary Incontinence: Factors Predicting Successful Treatment
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How Is Vaginal Prolapse Surgery Performed
Your vaginal prolapse surgery will be performed in a hospital or surgery clinic. The procedure varies depending on the type and severity of your vaginal prolapse and other factors. Your doctor will perform vaginal prolapse surgery using one of the following approaches:
Your doctor will advise you on which procedure is best for you and how long you need to stay in the hospital or surgical center based on your diagnosis, age, medical history, general health, and possibly your personal preference. Learn about the different procedures and ask why your surgeon will use a particular type for you. Types of anesthesia that may be used
Your doctor will perform vaginal prolapse surgery using either general anesthesia or regional anesthesia.
What to expect the day of your vaginal prolapse surgery
The day of your surgery, you can generally expect to:
Types Of Bladder Surgery
- Bladder Suspension Surgery . A prolapsing, dropping, or sagging bladder is returned to its correct position. It treats stress incontinence, which is urine leakage when a person coughs, sneezes, or laughs. There are several ways to perform bladder suspension surgery. The surgeon may make incisions in the abdomen and pull up the bladder neck. To keep the bladder neck in place, they sew the bladder neck to surrounding tissue or bone. A newer more common method is to use a sling or hammock-like structure to support the bladder neck. The structure can be made out of body tissue or man-made materials such as polypropylene.
- Transurethral Resection with Fulguration. A thin lighted tube called a cystoscope is inserted through the urethra to the bladder. While inside the bladder, surgeons use a tool with a small wire loop to burn away cancer formations. Its effective on tumors as well.
- Segmental Cystectomy. Part of the bladder is removed in segmental cystecomy. It can be performed in some instances of bladder cancer invading the muscle wall. As long as the cancer is only in one part of the bladder, segmental cystectomy is an option.
- Radical Cystectomy. If bladder cancer has spread to the muscle wall or inflicts a large part of the bladder, the patient may undergo radical cystectomy. In this surgical procedure, the surgeon removes the bladder and any lymph nodes or organs that contain cancer.
Also Check: Does Overactive Bladder Come And Go
Everyone Is A Little Different
Know that surgery and recovery are a different experience for everyone. And there is a range of experiences that are normal. Women that have medical diagnoses such as fibromyalgia or a history of trauma frequently have more pain after surgery. And recovery, even after a small procedure like a sling surgery, is always impacted by your social support. Women with a good social support system always have an easier road after surgery. Trying to manage your daily life- family, kids and work- on top of recovering from surgery is a daunting task.
How Painful Is Bladder Lift Surgery
Bladder lift surgery is often done laparoscopically.
This means that a surgeon will make just a few small cuts in the abdomen during the surgery. To perform the surgery, theyll use a small camera and tools inserted through tubes placed in the cuts.
Laparoscopic procedures are less invasive than open surgery. Recovery time for midurethral sling surgery and colposuspension performed laparoscopically is often much quicker than for open surgery.
Youll most likely leave the hospital after your surgery to recover at home. In some cases, though, you may need to stay overnight.
On the other hand, a traditional sling surgery and colposuspension with abdominal surgery usually require that you stay in the hospital to recover for a few days.
You may feel some pain or cramping in your lower abdomen and may need to take pain medications for 1 or 2 weeks. Most people fully recover from this procedure in about 6 weeks.
As with any surgery, bladder lift surgery comes with some risks. These include:
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What Are The Risks Of A Bladder Sling Procedure
You may bleed more than expected or develop an infection. The sling may break down. You may need another procedure to fix it. You may develop long-term pain. Your bladder or other pelvic organs may be damaged during the procedure. You will need surgery to repair any damage. You may have trouble urinating, or you may still leak urine. You may develop a need to urinate urgently or more often than before surgery. You also may have pain during or after sex. You may develop a blood clot in your limb. This may become life-threatening.
What Treatment Options Are Available For Prolapse
Treatment options depend on the severity and discomfort of the prolapse. Three main choices exist for the treatment of prolapse:
- Do nothing if your prolapse is not bothersome
Vaginal Surgeries: In general, vaginal-approach surgeries have a faster recovery time and cause less pain than abdominal surgeries.
Abdominal Surgeries: Abdominal-approach surgeries are performed through a larger abdominal incision, have a longer recovery time and generally cause more discomfort than vaginal surgeries. Sometimes, however, due to the patientâs anatomy or other existing conditions, the only approach can be an abdominal one.
Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Surgery: Robotically assisted laparoscopic surgery, with the daVinci Robot, is performed through several very small, one-centimeter incisions with the use of a video camera. The advantage of this approach is faster healing time and shorter hospital stays than with a more traditional abdominal approach.
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Artificial Urinary Sphincter For Men
For extensive urinary incontinence in male patients, an artificial urinary sphincter may be recommended. This is a small ring filled with fluid that is surgically placed around the bladder. When the patient would like to empty his bladder, he presses a valve placed under the skin that will cause the ring to deflate and allow urine to flow from the bladder.
Counting The Cost Of Sling Surgery
In addition to health risks, sling surgery is a costly option for leaky bladders. The price tag can range from $6,000 to $25,000. And even after surgery, women still spend on average $190 a year to manage residual leaks, spending money on pads, laundry, and dry cleaning. For those women who need a second surgery to remedy a bad first outcome, the total cost can quickly rise to $50,000 for surgical removal of a failed implant.
On the flip side, electing not to pursue any treatment is expensive, as well. The same study referenced above found that women spend on average $750 per year managing their incontinence symptoms.
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What Do I Need To Know About A Bladder Sling Procedure
A bladder sling procedure is surgery to treat urinary incontinence. The sling acts as a hammock to keep your urethra in place and hold it closed when your bladder is full. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from your bladder when you urinate. A sling may be a thin strip of mesh placed under the urethra. The sling may instead be made from a piece of your tissue taken from your abdomen or thigh.
How Painful Is Bladder Sling Surgery
The actual procedure should be painless, since it will involve anesthesia. During bladder sling surgery recovery, you may feel pain at the incision site, as well as some internal abdominal cramping. Your physician should prescribe you with pain medication during those first few days or weeks, but if your pain is unmanageable, see your doctor right away.
Also Check: What Does Bladder Leakage Look Like
Symptoms Of Urinary Incontinence
There are two common types of urinary incontinence: stress incontinence and urge incontinence.
Stress incontinence happens when urine is lost while exerting pressure on the bladder, such as when lifting heavy objects, sneezing, or laughing. Any type of pressure or muscular contraction can cause leakage if a person has stress incontinence.
Urge incontinence, or overactive bladder, is a constant feeling of needing to urinate. The person with urge incontinence always feels like their bladder is full, even when it is not, and it often results in an accident before the woman can reach a bathroom.
There may also exist multiple symptoms from multiple types of urinary incontinence, resulting in a combination of types.
What Is The Difference Between A Gynecologist And A Urogynecologist
Gynecologists treat womens health issuespregnancy, period issues, fertility problems, menopause, and others. Urologists may treat UTIs, incontinence, cancer, and male infertility problems, among other conditions.
Urogynecologists see women and focus on symptoms related to urinary incontinence, prolapse, and pelvic floor disorders.
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Who Is A Candidate
The best candidates for the bladder sling procedure are women who have tried alternative options that have been unsuccessful in treating their condition. This includes more conservative choices that are dedicated to helping patients with mild to moderate incontinence. Patients who undergo surgical procedures such as the bladder sling treatment should be well aware of the risks they are taking, including risks associated with any type of surgical procedure. Some common concerns may include painful or difficult intercourse, urinary tract infections, and temporary urine retention.
What Are The Side Effects Of A Bladder Sling
While most patients experience few side effects, there are always risks involved with any surgery. If you experience bloating after bladder sling surgery, the placement may be off, and you should consult your doctor.Other complications include prolonged abdominal pain, painful intercourse and urinary tract infection. There is also a small chance that the mesh material could begin to erode through your tissue or become exposed.
Read Also: Ways To Stop Bladder Leakage
The Ultimate Conservative Treatment
In the study that investigated surgical success rates, the second most effective treatment was pelvic floor exercises. Youve probably heard this advice before, particularly after childbirth: Do your Kegels. Although pelvic floor exercises have been proven to be effective for SUI, many women dont do Kegels correctly or consistently enough to notice a difference. In order to better support the bladder, you must regularly contract the relevant muscles in order to strengthen the pelvic floor. But its difficult to remember to do Kegels or even to know whether youre squeezing the right muscles.
So what are the alternatives? Several conservative treatment options are available for you to consider before surgery, including devices that actually perform Kegels for you.
What Is The Bladder Sling Procedure
Our team describes the bladder sling procedure as a surgical solution to urinary incontinence. It is often a last resort for women who do not improve with more conservative, nonsurgical solutions such as behavior modification and pelvic floor muscle strengthening with EMG. This surgery is performed to help in maintaining support of the bladder with a hammock-like synthetic mesh. These slings hold the bladder, bladder neck, and urethra to keep a patient from experiencing urine leakage associated with stress urinary incontinence. There are various types of slings used for patients with urinary leakage, so speaking with a professional is the first step in deciding which type of sling is right for you. The surgical procedure is minimally invasive and can drastically improve ones quality of life by treating urinary incontinence.
Also Check: Bladder Prolapse Surgery Success Rate
Botulinum Toxin A Injections
Botulinum toxin A can be injected into the sides of your bladder to treat urge incontinence and overactive bladder syndrome.
This medicine can sometimes help relieve these problems by relaxing your bladder.
This effect can last for several months and the injections can be repeated if they help.
Although the symptoms of incontinence may improve after the injections, you may find it difficult to completely empty your bladder.
If this happens, you’ll need to be taught how to insert a thin, flexible tube called a catheter into your urethra to drain the urine from your bladder.
Botulinum toxin A is not currently licensed to treat urge incontinence or overactive bladder syndrome, so you should be made aware of any risks before deciding to have this treatment.
The long-term effects of this treatment are not yet known.
Alyce Adams Rn Is The Kegel Queen
Alyce is known as the most sought-after kegel exercise expert around the world, helping women avoid dangerous surgery and regain health and control of their body down there. She is famous for creating the Kegel Success in Minutes a Day Program, the only complete, no-devices, safe-at-home kegel exercise program created and tested by a Registered Nurse.
The Kegel Queen busts the kegel myths that hold women back even if theyve learned from a doctor, physical therapist, or childbirth teacher. With Real Kegels That Really Work, women reverse pelvic prolapse, stop urinary incontinence, and have the most amazing sex of their lives with no annoying and inconvenient kegel devices, no drugs, and no ineffective and dangerous surgery. The Kegel Queen Program has reached over 1,382 women in 19 countries around the world.
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Understanding The Bladder Sling Procedure
Women who deal with regular incontinence or bladder leakage are often embarrassed by their condition. It is not an uncommon condition and can be addressed with certain treatments. At Premier OB/GYN, we offer a variety of incontinence solutions for patients who visit our Bradenton, Florida area practice, including the bladder sling procedure.
What Happens Before The Male Sling Procedure
Before surgery, you may be asked to see your family physician or anesthesiologist for a preoperative checkup. If necessary, your doctor will do a few tests. These tests could include:
You may also be asked to follow a few rules before surgery. These include:
- Do not take Aspirin or any blood thinning medications two weeks before surgery. This includes medications such as ibuprofen naproxen and clopidogrel . If necessary, you can take Tylenol® for headaches or pain. Any other medication such as antibiotics, high blood pressure medications, hormone pills, and heart medications should be continued unless otherwise specified.
- Only consume clear liquids the night before surgery. This means anything you can see through, such as broth, juices and Jell-O. This helps keep the bowel clean at the time of surgery and reduces the risks of contamination.
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the day before surgery. Any medication that must be taken the morning of surgery should be taken with a small sip of water.
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Bladder Neck Suspension Procedures
Bladder neck suspension procedures provide support to the urethra and bladder neck, which is a thick, muscled area in which the bladder connects to the urethra. An incision is made in the lower abdomen, through which a surgeon places stitches in the tissue of the bladder neck area and secures them to a ligament near your pubic bone or directly in the cartilage of the pubic bone. This reinforces the bladder neck and urethra so that both dont sag and lead to incontinence.
This procedure is performed under general anesthesia, and the recovery should take about six weeks, depending on individual circumstances. Patients might also need to use a catheter until they can resume normal urination when back in full health.