Definition: A major surgery to remove the entire bladder (usually for muscle-invasive cancer) and create a new bladder (neobladder) from a segment of the patient’s intestine.
Procedure Steps:
1. Anesthesia: General anesthesia.
2. Cystectomy: The bladder, nearby lymph nodes, and in men the prostate, or in women the uterus and ovaries, are removed.
3. Reconstruction: A ~50 cm segment of small intestine is isolated, reconfigured into a spherical pouch, and connected to the urethra, allowing for “normal” urination.
Purpose / Benefits:
• Purpose: To treat invasive bladder cancer while attempting to preserve body image and urinary function.
• Benefits:
o Potentially curative for cancer.
o Avoids the need for a permanent urostomy bag on the abdomen.
