bowel/bladder fissure

[andrewtomatoe]

Hi
my friend has had treatment for prostate cancer, which resulted in a fissure of the bowel to bladder. Te healing process was such that he had to have some leg muscle removed to add to the injury to get it to heal.
After almost completeley healing, things have gone a bit backwards and the healing isnt complete and doesnt seem to be getting any better.
I was wandering if anyone here has had any experience of this or could help point me in the right direction?
thanks loads
Andrew

[andrewtomatoe]

Hi and thanks for your reply.
He has not started to have any radio therapy yet. He had had the prostate removed, and had to have another op as there was a few more bits they wanted to remove.
It was then, that the fissure resulted, and he also got mrma virus (r something like that). I imagine this didnt help his healing.
I will speak to him about the plastic surgen addig skin with a blood supply.
He does not have diabetes as far as i know.
thanks loads for your time

Andrew

[HeinrikMD]

Hi,
I'm assuming that your friend underwent radiation therapy.
This modality affects normal tissue surrounding the prostate, and there are cases in which there would be significant damage. Some patients are even known to have fractures from weakened bone. If all of the areas described were near the fields involved, then healing may indeed be poor. Radiation affects the blood vessels and the area may not be adequately supplied - so yes, the problems unfortunately may not end there, there may indeed be more treatment afterwards if the current wound does not seem to healing appropriately. If the healing is really bad - he may need to consult a plastic surgeon in which skin would be transplanted with an accompanying blood supply near the area of interest.
Try to find out also if he has anything that may affect his blood vessels and subsequent healing, such as diabetes and address this as well.