Bladder cancer


Life after bladder cancer treatment

Page last updated: May 2024

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Types of urinary diversions

If you have surgery to remove the bladder (radical cystectomy), you will need another way to collect and store urine. This is known as a urinary diversion. It is a major change, and your treatment team will offer support to help you adjust.

Your surgeon will talk to you about the best type of urinary diversion for your situation. They will recommend one of the following options: 

  • urostomy – creates a new opening to your urinary system
  • neobladder – creates a new bladder from your small bowel
  • continent urinary diversion – creates a pouch from your small bowel to hold urine until you are ready to drain it.

Urostomy

This is the most common type of urinary diversion. Also known as an ileal conduit, a urostomy means that urine will drain into a bag attached to the outside of the abdomen.

The surgeon will use a piece of your small bowel (ileum) to create a passageway (conduit). This connects the ureters (the tubes that carry urine from your kidneys) to an opening created on the surface of the abdomen called a stoma.

A watertight, drainable bag is placed over the stoma to collect urine. This small bag, worn under clothing, fills continuously and needs to be emptied throughout the day through a tap or bung on the bag.

The small bag will be connected to a larger drainage bag at night if required.

Positioning the stoma

Having a stoma

Living with a stoma

Support for people with a stoma

“Having a stoma hasn’t been a problem. On the rare occasion the bag has leaked, it’s because I haven’t fitted it properly or changed it soon enough.” David

Managing stomas

Having a stoma, even temporarily, is a big change in a person’s life and takes some getting used to. However, thousands of Australians have a stoma and most lead a relatively normal life.

Call Cancer Council 13 11 20, or visit My Cancer Guide, to find local support services available to help manage your stoma. 

Find services in your area

Neobladder

In this method, a pouch is created from a portion of your small bowel and placed in the same area as your original bladder. This pouch is called a neobladder.

The procedure for creating a neobladder is more complex and takes longer than creating a urostomy. However, you don’t need to have a stoma with a neobladder.

Once the neobladder is created, the surgeon will stitch it into the ureters to collect and store urine from the kidneys.

It will also be stitched into the urethra to drain urine from the body. The neobladder will allow you to urinate through your urethra, but it will feel different from urinating with a normal bladder. 

“I couldn’t control the number of urinary tract infections after my surgery, but once I started catheterising, it limited the infections.” Mark

Living with a neobladder

 

BEAT Bladder Cancer Australia

BEAT Bladder Cancer Australia is a charity that raises awareness about bladder cancer.

It also provides information and support to people with bladder cancer and their carers, including videos, information sheets and question lists.

Learn more

Continent urinary diversion

In this procedure, the surgeon uses a piece of the small bowel to create a pouch inside the body. The pouch is designed so that it does not leak urine, but can be drained by inserting a catheter through a stoma.

Several times a day you will need to drain the urine by inserting a drainage tube (catheter) through the stoma into the pouch. This diversion procedure is not commonly used, but may be an option.

Your surgeon or nurse will explain the risks and benefits of this procedure, and how to empty urine from the pouch.

Life after bladder cancer

For most people, the cancer experience doesn’t end on the last day of treatment. Life after cancer treatment can present its own challenges.

It is important to allow yourself time to adjust to the physical and emotional changes, and establish a new daily routine at your own pace. Your family and friends may also need time to adjust. 

Follow-up appointments

What if bladder cancer returns?

 

Understanding Bladder Cancer

Download our Understanding Bladder Cancer booklet to learn more

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