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.
Learn more about:
How the neobladder works
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.
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.
Living with a neobladder
It takes time to get used to a new bladder. The neobladder will not have the nerves that tell you when your bladder is full, and you will have to learn new ways to empty it.
The neobladder may produce a thick white substance (mucus), which might appear as pale threads in the urine. The amount of mucus will lessen over time, but it won’t disappear completely.
Discuss any concerns with your nurse, physiotherapist, GP or urologist, and arrange follow-up visits with them.
See a continence nurse or a pelvic floor physiotherapist
They will work with you to develop a toilet schedule to train your new bladder. At first, the new bladder won’t be able to hold much urine and you will probably need to empty your bladder every 2–3 hours. This will gradually increase to 4–6 hours, but it may take several months. During that time, the neobladder may leak when full, and you may have to get up during the night to go to the toilet.
Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles before and after surgery will help you control the neobladder. A pelvic health physiotherapist can teach you exercises.
It can sometimes be difficult to fully empty the neobladder using your pelvic floor muscles. If this is an issue, a continence nurse will also teach you how to drain the bladder with a catheter. This is called intermittent self-catheterisation and it should usually be done twice a day to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
See video below to learn about how to do pelvic floor exercises.
Ask about the Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS)
This scheme is operated by Services Australia (Medicare) and provides a payment for eligible people needing a long-term supply of continence aids, including catheters for draining the bladder. You can ask the continence nurse if you’re eligible. Find out more at humanservices.gov.au or call the CAPS Team on 1800 239 309.
Contact the National Continence Helpline
Call 1800 33 00 66 to speak to a nurse continence specialist or visit The Continence Foundation of Australia.
I couldn’t control the number of urinary tract infections after my surgery, but once I started catheterising, it limited the infections.
Mark
→ READ MORE: Continent urinary diversion
Video: Pelvic floor exercise for females and males
More resources
Dr Prassannah Satasivam, Urologist and Robotic Surgeon, Epworth Hospitals and Cabrini Hospitals, VIC; Donna Clifford, Urology Nurse Practitioner, Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA; Marc Diocera, Genitourinary Nurse Consultant, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Dr Renee Finnigan, Radiation Oncologist, Gold Coast University Hospital, QLD; Lisa Hann, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Dr Andrew Hirschhorn, Director of Allied Health and MQ Health Academy, MQ Health, Macquarie University, NSW; Anne Marie Lyons, Stomal Therapy Nurse, Concord Hospital and NSW Stoma Limited, NSW; John McDonald, Consumer; Prof Manish Patel, Urological Cancer and Robotic Surgeon, Westmead Hospital, Macquarie University Hospital, and The University of Sydney, NSW; Dr Jason Paterdis, Urological Surgeon, Brisbane Urology Clinic, QLD; Graeme Sissing, Consumer; Prof Martin Stockler, Medical Oncologist, The University of Sydney, Concord Cancer Centre, and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse RPA, NSW.
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