You may need surgery on your urinary bladder to treat many conditions, including bladder cancer. You may need a reconstructive procedure, or a surgeon may need to remove part or all of your bladder. In addition to general surgical risks, bladder surgery complications may include difficulty using the bathroom and fertility problems.
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Bladder surgery is a procedure on your urinary bladder. Your urinary bladder holds your urine (pee) after your kidneys clean your blood.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
There are many different types of bladder surgery. The type of surgery you may need depends on which condition is affecting your bladder.
Conditions that may require bladder surgery include:
There are many different types of bladder surgery. Some common types of bladder surgery include:
It’s common. Bladder cancer is the most common reason for people to undergo bladder surgery. There are many different types of bladder surgery to treat bladder cancer. Each year, tens of thousands of people receive a bladder cancer diagnosis.
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You’ll meet with a healthcare provider before bladder surgery, where they’ll:
Tell your provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications you’re taking, including herbal supplements. They may recommend that you stop taking any medications that increase your risk of bleeding during your bladder surgery, including:
Don’t stop taking any medications unless the provider tells you.
Tell the provider about all your allergies, as well. These include:
A provider may also ask you to stop smoking and using tobacco products. Tobacco use increases health risks during and after surgery, including slowing down the healing process and decreasing your immune system’s effectiveness.
You’ll likely receive specific directions on eating and drinking before bladder surgery. This may include following a clear liquid eating pattern eight to 12 hours before your surgery. Clear liquids include juices without pulp, soup broth and gelatin (Jell-O®).
Urologists perform bladder surgeries. Urologists specialize in treating conditions affecting the urinary system and the male and female reproductive systems.
It depends on the type of surgery you need. Outpatient means you can go home the same day as your surgery. Inpatient means you need to spend at least a day in the hospital. Ask a healthcare provider if you’ll need to stay in the hospital and, if so, for how long. You may need to stay in the hospital for up to a week.
There are two different approaches to bladder surgery:
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When you talk to a healthcare provider about bladder surgery, feel free to ask lots of questions. Make sure you understand and feel comfortable with what the provider explains to you.
Yes. An anesthesiologist will give you general anesthesia before surgery. General anesthesia puts you to sleep. You won’t feel pain or experience any other sensations during bladder surgery.
It depends on the procedure. Some procedures may take up to six hours or longer. Talk to a healthcare provider to better understand what to expect.
Healthcare providers will stitch your incisions and cover them with bandages. You’ll also stop receiving anesthesia. After a few minutes, you’ll be conscious (awake) but will likely feel groggy.
Providers will continue to monitor your health. Once you wake up fully, they’ll treat your pain.
You may have side effects after surgery, including:
Healthcare providers will talk to you about what to expect after surgery.
The main benefit of bladder surgery is that it treats bladder cancer or another condition that affects your bladder or other parts of your urinary system. In some cases, it’s the only way to treat these conditions.
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All surgeries come with risks, including:
Bladder surgery can be a major surgery with a significant risk of other complications. You have a higher risk if you’re older than 60 or assigned female at birth (AFAB). Possible complications include:
In rare cases, severe bladder surgery complications may be fatal.
It depends on the bladder surgery procedure. In general, most people need at least a few weeks to recover. But it may be a month or two before you regain your strength. A healthcare provider will give an estimate of your recovery time, including when you can return to work or school.
A healthcare provider will likely prescribe prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers. Ask about any other medications before you go home.
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Yes. Don’t exercise or lift objects that are heavier than 8 pounds (about the weight of a gallon of water) for at least a few weeks after bladder surgery.
Be sure to get plenty of fluids. You’ll have an increased risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI) if you don’t get enough water.
It’s also a good idea to eat lots of nutritious foods that promote healing, including:
Contact a healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms after bladder surgery:
Yes, you can live without your bladder. If a healthcare provider removes your bladder, you’ll need a urostomy or neobladder surgery.
It’s normal to worry about how bladder removal surgery may affect your quality of life, especially as you adjust to a potentially new way for pee to leave your body. But with some extra planning, many people can still enjoy their usual activities, including physical activity and travel.
If a urologist removes your bladder, they’ll perform reconstructive bladder surgery to create a new way for your body to store and remove pee. The different methods include:
It depends on what type of reconstructive surgery you have after bladder removal surgery. You may have to use a catheter to drain pee out of your body through a stoma. If you have a neobladder, pee comes out of your body the same way that it would with your original, healthy bladder.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Bladder surgery is a common type of surgery to help treat conditions that affect your bladder and urinary system. A surgeon may need to replace part or all of your bladder. You may need to adjust to changes, including a new way to drain pee from your body. However, many people can still enjoy the same activities they did before bladder surgery. Your surgeon will explain what type of surgery you’ll need and give you instructions on how you can help your body heal and adjust to any new changes.
Last reviewed on 02/27/2024.
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