Bladder Surgery: Life-Saving Treatments to Fight Bladder Cancer
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According to the reports submitted by cancer.net, it is found that around 82,290 adults are prone to bladder cancer in the US. Smoking is one of the reasons for it. It is estimated that the number across the globe is 5,73,278 people to be attacked by this cancer. Battling with any cancer, be it bladder, uterus, or breast, is intimidating. You have to undergo surgery and various types of therapies to kill the cancer cells and avoid its spread. Most oncologists suggest bladder surgery for patients.
The specialists will weed out the tumor and a smaller portion of healthy tissue around it by doing the surgery. However, the treatment given to patients depends on the stage of disease, tumor location, and the health of the patient.
So, read this article to learn about different types of surgeries done to kill the tumor grown on the bladder.
Types of Surgery to Fight Bladder Cancer
The following are different types of surgeries done on the bladder to remove the tumor:
Radical Cystectomy
The surgery is done to remove the bladder. The issue around the infected area of the bladder is also been weeded out. Usually, if men are prone to this cancer, the doctors will remove the prostate and urethra parts in the body.
In women, the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and vagina will be treated through a procedure called pelvic lymph nodes. It is the best way to detect cancer that has spread its abnormal growth to its lymph nodes. It is performed in a non-invasive way through robotic bladder surgery.
Robotic Surgery
This type of surgery is quite famous, and many choose this surgery over others. It uses the latest robotic technology to remove tumors from the bladder area. The surgeon does a tiny incision on the spare nerve as well as on the muscle tissue.
Patients can happily leave home after a few days of bladder surgery. They have fewer chances to become prone to infections, and the recovery time is fast. The robotic arm is used to perform the surgery. It replicates the movements of the surgeon and increases precision. It is the best way to remove tumors from the bladder in a safe manner.
After the surgery, the patients will recover faster than other surgical methods. It also reduces the chance of patients going through complications.
Many studies have proven that robotic-assisted procedures are highly safe and give effective results compared to traditional techniques. There is less bleeding in patients and lower blood transfusion.
Partial Cystectomy
In this type of surgery, the doctor will remove half of the bladder. On the flip side, it is also performed to remove the tumor located within the bladder wall. In either case, no harm is caused to the bladder’s functioning.
Urinary Diversion
If the bladder is removed from the body, the doctor will create a path for the urine to go out. The best way used by the doctor is to use a portion of the small intestine to let the urine pass through the stoma. This is then pushed out of the body. A bag is attached to the stoma to collect and drain the urine.
Sometimes, a urine reservoir is created in the body and is not exposed using a large or small intestine. This avoids the use of an external bag for collecting urine. It creates a new type of bladder for patients to eliminate urine naturally.
Transurethral Resection (TURB)
It is used in different functions like diagnosis, staging, and providing treatment for cancer. In this type of surgery, the surgeon will insert a kind of device called a cystoscope through the urethra.
This pipe will go directly to the urethra and then to the bladder to make it visible for the doctor to view the area where the tumor is. The doctor can also view the adjacent tissues to which the spread of cancer can be possible. This type of treatment is given to patients who have non-invasive bladder surgery.
However, the doctors will use both chemotherapy and immunotherapy to treat the patients and avoid their recurrence. If the bladder cancer is invasive, it is necessary to remove the bladder from the body or go through chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
TURB is the treatment given to patients who are in the initial stage of bladder cancer. Patients who have superficial cancer will go through this treatment first. Moreover, this type of treatment is also done to ensure that all the cancer near the bladder area is removed.
The main aim of this surgery is to remove cancer cells from the body and nearby tissues and around the bladder's muscle layer. The cancer-causing cells will be killed using a high-energy laser and with the help of a rectoscope.
Conclusion
The cutting-edge treatments are necessary to treat bladder cancer in a less non-invasive way. There are different types of surgeries performed on the bladder to remove cancer based on the area in which it is located. The doctors use robotic-assisted bladder surgery to keep invasive procedures at bay. There are smaller incisions, less pain, no extended hospital stay, and quick recovery time.
In case of any abnormality in your bladder area, look no further. Just book an appointment with a urologist near you. They detect cancer symptoms and get the correct treatment before the situation worsens.
