Questions posted in the The Urology Forum have been answered by urologists from Henry Ford Health System and by Dr. Kevin Pho.

Subject: Re: Bladder Cancer/ Surgery complications
Forum: The Urology Forum

Topic Area: Bladder Cancer

Posted by Nick on May 03, 1999 at 11:38:17

Dear Doctor,

I am a 59 y.old male,nonsmoker. Two months ago I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Last month (April)I had a cystoscopy transurethral surgery (one 2cm
by 2cm tumor growth and 2 other smaller tumors were removed). I was advised
to return to work the second day following the procedure and to resume normal activity. So I did.

After 3-4 days I experienced complications and I started to feel weak.
I was admitted in the hospital with an arterial bleeding from the site of
first surgery. Another cystoscopy transurethral surgery was performed on me
in order to seal the arterial bleeding. I was given NO additional blood to make up for the loose.

The second time around, the same doctor advised me to limit any and all activities to a minimum.

Seven days have passed since my second surgery. I have been resting in bed with very litte activity. How long does it take for the wound to heal in my bladder? When can I resume normal activity?

The muscle of my bladder was attacked by cancer and the cancer is in the second stage. What procedure should I have in order to check for metastasis? Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Nick

Posted by HFHS M.D.-BE on May 11, 1999 at 09:13:41

=
Dear Nick,
What you have described is one of the possible complications following transurethral surgery on the bladder. Minimizing activities and some bed rest usually is helpful in decreasing the chances of further bleeding and allowing for healing of the site of tumor resection. Increasing your fluid intake helps prevent blood clots in the bladder that could potentially cause obstruction to the flow of urine. Healing is variable in different individuals, based on age, extent of surgery, general state of health, the type of medications s/he is taking, etc. I would suspect that after seven days you should be able to gradually return to your normal activities. Remember that you should be in touch with your urologist about this, since he is primarily responsible for you.

As far as checking for the progress of your cancer, which is referred to as staging, in addition to cystoscopy, and transurethral resection, which you have undergone, you could also have the following: chest x-ray, CT scan/MRI, bone scan, and blood tests.

This information is provided for general medical educational purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653-6568).

Sincerely,
HFHS M.D.-BE
*keyword: bladder surgery, bleeding



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