Radical Cystectomy's Impact On The Body
- Bladder removal surgery (radical cystectomy) also typically involves the removal of nearby organs — including the prostate and seminal vesicles in men and the uterus, ovaries, and cervix in women.
- Because these organs are connected to reproductive and urinary function, the surgery can affect fertility, sexual function, hormonal balance, and urinary control.
- The GI tract is also impacted. Without a bladder to store urine, surgeons must construct a new reservoir using part of the digestive tract, most often the small intestine.
- The involvement of both the urinary and digestive systems can make recovery particularly demanding. While most patients can expect to leave the hospital the same week as their initial surgery, recovery typically takes 12 weeks at a minimum.
“Radical cystectomy is quite frankly a harder surgery than having a breast removed or a kidney removed,” Dr. Elizabeth Wulff, a medical oncologist at the University of Kansas Health System, says.
Read MoreWhat Is Removed During Surgery?
Exactly which organs are removed will depend on the patient’s sex assigned at birth.
For males, this will likely include:
- Bladder
- Prostate
- Seminal vesicles
- Pelvic lymph nodes
For females, this will likely include:
- Bladder
- Uterus
- Cervix
- Fallopian tubes
- Ovaries
- Pelvic lymph nodes
Because these organs are closely connected to reproductive and urinary function, the surgery can affect fertility, sexual function, hormonal balance, and urinary control.
Radical Cystectomy’s Impact On The Body
One of the reasons radical cystectomy is so complex is that removing the bladder requires surgeons to rebuild the body’s urinary pathway.
Without a bladder to store urine, surgeons must construct a new reservoir using part of the digestive tract, most often the small intestine. This allows urine to travel from the kidneys through the ureters into a newly created storage system before leaving the body, Dr. Wulff explains.
The involvement of both the urinary and digestive systems can make recovery particularly demanding.
“Disrupting two bodily systems is very hard when it comes to surgical recovery,” Dr. Wulff explains. “To go from having a bladder to not having one, the immediate postoperative experience is really challenging with those two systems involved.”
Understanding the full scope of bladder removal surgery — including the organs involved and the body systems affected — can help patients better prepare for the physical adjustments that follow treatment.
Recovery From Radical Cystectomy
After surgery, most patients are able to go home from the hospital within the week. From there, recovery from radical cystectomy typically takes 12 weeks at a minimum.
The first few weeks after surgery are typically the toughest. Patients may experience symptoms like:
- Lower energy
- Reduced independence
- Discomfort
- Urinary issues
- GI issues
Recovering from a radical cystectomy requires patients to adapt to a new way of storing and passing urine through a urinary diversion. In addition to physical recovery, this process involves learning new routines, adjusting emotionally, and gradually regaining confidence.
Fortunately, most patients report regaining their baseline quality of life by a year after surgery.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Is a radical cystectomy necessary in my situation?
- What can I do to prepare and to help with recovery?
- Which organs will be removed? And what side effects might this cause?
- Are there support programs you recommend to help me adjust?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
