bladder cancer

suggest you look at the patient booklet for bladder cancer on the national cancer institute website: http://www.cancer.gov/. you will also find weblinks by doing a search for "bladder cancer" on the medline plus website: http://www.medlineplus.gov/. when you find the different surgeries for this, you can learn about the surgeries on this website: encyclopedia of surgery http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/index.html

you can only know the post op complications if you know the specific surgeries being done. they can be any of the following and there are basically two major sets of complications which i have highlighted for you:

• transurethral resection (tur) and fulguration
  • complications include hemorrhage, infection, urine retention, incontinence and impotence in men

  [*]segmental bladder resection (tumor removal along with some of the bladder tissue)

  [*]radical cystectomy (removal of the bladder, seminal vesicles and prostate in males along with the urethra and surrounding lymph nodes; removal of the bladder, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and anterior lady parts in females along with the urethra and surrounding lymph nodes)

  [*]kock pouch (ureterostomy, nephrostomy, continent vesicostomy)

  [*]ileal bladder

  [*]ureterosigmoidostomy

  • complications of all the above (except the tur) include bleeding, hypotension, nerve injury to the genitofemoral or peroneal nerve, anuria, stenosis of the surgical stoma that is formed, uti, pouch leakage, electrolyte imbalances, ureteroileal junction stenosis, vascular compromise, loss of sexual or reproductive function, psychological problems relating to changes in body image

don't forget the complications of anesthesia! patients undergoing general anesthesia may experience these possible problems:

• breathing problems (atelectasis, hypoxia, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism)
  
• hypotension (shock, hemorrhage)
  
• thrombophlebitis in the lower extremity
  
• elevated or depressed temperature
  
• any number of problems with the incision/wound (dehiscence, evisceration, infection)
  
• fluid and electrolyte imbalances
  
• urinary retention
  
• constipation
  
• surgical pain
  
• nausea/vomiting (paralytic ileus)
  

complications of epidural anesthesia (which may be used for a tur) are:

• hypotension
  
• rash around the epidural injection site
  
• nausea and vomiting from the opiates administered
  
• pruritis of the face and neck caused by some epidural narcotics
  
• respiratory depression up to 24 hours after the epidural
  
• cerebrospinal fluid leakage and spinal headache from accidental dural puncture
  
• sensory problems in the lower extremities