Building bladders inside the body Play Video

Posted: Nov 19, 2009 7:52 AM
Updated: Nov 19, 2009 1:10 PM

BACKGROUND: The National Cancer Institute expects there will be 70,980 new cases of bladder cancer and 14,330 deaths in 2009.  Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that originates in the bladder. The cancer usually originates along the thin lining of cells on the inside of the bladder and is likely to be found in its early stages, according to the Mayo Clinic.  Bladder cancer usually affects older adults and has a high rate of recurrence.

Some of the leading symptoms of bladder cancer are blood in urine, painful urination, frequent urination, abdominal pain, back pain and urinary tract infections.  People who smoke; are exposed to certain substances at work like rubber, certain dyes, paint and hairdressing supplies; eat a diet high in fried meats and fat; are older, male or white; or have had an infection caused by a parasite are at higher risk for bladder cancer than the general population, according to the National Cancer Institute.

TREATMENT: Early stage treatments include removing the tumor through surgery. TURBT, used for cancer confined to the inner wall of the bladder, is a surgery that uses a small wire loop through the urethra and into the bladder that burns away cancer cells.  Surgeons can also remove the tumor and a portion of the bladder through a partial cystectomy.  If cancer has invaded the deeper layers of the bladder wall, surgery to remove the entire bladder is an option as well as surgery to create a new way for urine to leave the body.  Some other treatments include biological therapy; immunotherapy, which works by signaling your body's immune system to fight off the cancer; chemotherapy, which involves using a combination of drugs inserted through the veins to kill cancer cells that remain after surgery; and radiation.

SURGERY & BUILDING BLADDERS WITH ROBOTS: Technology advances have made it possible for robots to now remove bladder tumors and rebuild them inside the body.  The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine is one of the first schools to use robotic technology to build new bladders inside the body.  Murugesan Manoharan, M.D., an associate professor of urology at the University of Miami, says using the robot has advantages such as preciseness, less pain, less bleeding, shorter recovery time and fewer complications.  The Da Vinci Surgical System robot can be used to remove a cancerous bladder through a small incision near the patient's abdomen, then rebuild a new bladder during the same surgery. Costs vary by patient, but most private insurance plans cover costs for the operation.

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