HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Bladder Neck Contracture

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/27/2011 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Last Friday, June 24, more than five years after prostate cancer surgery a laparoscopic prostatectomy) my urologist performed a bladder neck incision to ease a contracture. He said it was the result of the prostate surgery. Any one else have a similar experience? My only symptom was blood in the urine.
Had the catheter out today, thank God. Had no trouble with having catheter for 14 days after the cancer surgery. This time around, however, I had painful bladder spasms (15 plus per day), even though I was taking oxybuntin
The urologist says I could become incontinent from Friday's procedure. I had minimal stress incontinence prior to the bladder neck inicision. Looking for feedback from others who have had this surgery.


Initial cancer diagnosis: 12/2005
PSA: 5.6
Pre-Surgery Gleason: 3 + 3 = 6
Surgery: 3/2006
Post Surgery Gleason: 3 + 4 = 7
Most recent PSA: undectable
Posted 6/27/2011 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
I too had blood in my urine - over two years past surgery. I ended up having a surgical staple removed that was iside the bladder.

Posted 6/27/2011 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
I had bladder neck surgery 3 months after the original surgery (my flow was never normal after the RP). After the second surgery the flow normalized but the incontinence issue worsened. I went from 3 pads to 5. A year later, still on 5 pads, but no other problems.
Posted 6/27/2011 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
I had surgery six times after my open RP surgery for strictures like that. The ditropan you took helps some with the spasms, but sure didn't eliminate them for me either, I would have dozens per day. Each time my surgeon opened me up, he said there was a risk of causing incontinence. Forturately for me, that never happened.

Good luck to you, and hopefully this event will cure you of having to need it done again.

David in SC
Posted 6/27/2011 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
I had a bladder neck incision also to deal with a stricture. So far no problems. The doc did say it could recoccur, but so far no problems - one year out. I would definately prefer never to have a bladder spasm again. Squid.
Posted 6/27/2011 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
I've had Rx for PC twice, 3Dcrt external rad, and then HIFU 5years later when cancer returned. Cancer apperars gone (PSA tool low to read for over four years now) but a year or so after HIFU, I began having bladder neck contractures followed by retention. I had laser surgery, then bladder neck incisions. After the second bladder neck incision and two years of dealing with recurrent stricture with repeated Foley catheters, I used a temporary urethral stent called Spanner (doctor's office, like putting in a Foley). The stent was left in for total of 6 months, then removed (outpatient, no anesthesia). I've had no strictures problem in almost 16 months now. Surgery alone did not fix my problem; this temporary stent apparently did the trick. I'm still being treated for incontinence, just had a Virtue male sling placed a week ago.
Posted 6/28/2011 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
Rudy, sounds like my story, had robotic sugery in august 2010.  Urinary flow was never very good after the surgery.  Had total blockage in Oct 2010, 1 day in hospital, after that I worked on incontinence got to 1 pad stress a day with ditropan & few spasms.  Everything changed last week, had a UTI and was taking  Bactrim.  Got up in the middle of the night to urinate, nothing, total blockage.  This is my 2nd episode with this severe pain.  Try to avoid the ER if you can, luckly my uro was open and I was there first in the AM.  Cystoscope confirmed, another sticture, called it anastomatic sticture.  He got some tools out for a dialation, graduating in size from small to appx 5/16" felt a lot bigger!! Back on cath for 5 days.  Had it removed yesterday, back to 4 pads a day with spasams. I'll probably need the same procedure you had in the future.  I am now 10 months post surgery, and reminded everyday with ED & wet pads...Rudy, hope you have better luck.
Posted 7/7/2011 1:05 AM (GMT 0)
My experience has been that bladder neck strictures don't respond well to dilation, laser or cold knife surgery. What finally worked for me after two years of recurring strictures was to place a temporary stent, called a Spanner, a few days after bladder neck incision surgery and leave the stent in for about 6 months. I've had no strictures now in about 18 months and no narrowing! The Spanner is relatively new. It's placed in the upper urethra something like putting in a Foley, using only a topical anesthesia and you're out of there in twenty minutes. It can be removed in a few minutes, with no topical needed. If your strictures keep recurring, ask your doc about this temporary Spaner stent.
Posted 7/7/2011 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
When I was going through all my chronic stricture problems ( they lasted for 2 plus years), my uro/surgeon was not keen on the stents, as he said they have a tendency to grow into the flesh, and can make removing them difficult at best. He said that there is a high chance of being totally incontinent upon removal of the stent.
Posted 7/7/2011 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
Purgatory,

Urologists have a bias against stents for good reason.  Until a temporary stent became available (Spanner), the only other approved stent in the US was a permanent, metal mesh design (Urolume) wgich I think should be pulled off the market, it's had so many complications.  Consequently most urologists who have used it (the ONLY stent available until a few years ago) don't like it and quit listenning the minute they hear the word 'stent'. Spanner is no more permanent than a Foley catheter except it stays in for a couple of months and lets you pee normally and can be removed as easily as a Foley.  I recommend you Google Spanner stent and see what you think.  I was lucky enough to find a forward thinking urologist who was willing to try it and he's now treated a number of patients with it who have severe recurrent stricture problems.  My urethra hasn't narrowed a bit in the year and a half since the Spanner was removed. I'm telling, I had one MAJOR problem with stricture (or BNC) until my urologist tried the Spanner to give the surgery 6 months to heal and that didn't allow any scar tissue to invade the urethra as it had on all previous procedure. You can call me at 619-447-3934 if you'd like. (San Diego area)

Posted 7/7/2011 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
el paso rudy,

I had incisions to cut out stricture in January 2009. My doctor told me that I would be totally incontinet after the procedure and he wasn't kidding. Immediately, I was using 6-8 pads, plus 2-4 diapers per day. In May 2009, I had the AUS implanted and in July 2009 it was activated. I now wear a light pad daily to catch the dribbles when I sneeze.

I do hope your incontinence is more manageable than mine.

Wigs
Posted 7/7/2011 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
When I was having stricture problem I too asked my uro about a stent and he , like some others, said they were hard to remove and not a good idea. This new Spanner sounds good. If my stricture problem recurs, I will bring it up with the doc. Squid.
Posted 7/8/2011 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
It's been two weeks since my bladder neck surgery. Still seeing blood in the urine, pinkish tinge. One pad, diaper per day. Seems my bladder capacity is restricted. When I drink a lot of water, I need to go about once an hour and it gushes out like Niagara Falls. Don't drink much during the day because I do a lot of driving and home visits in my job and don't always have easy access to a bathroom. Catch up at night with lots of fluid. Been feeling mild testicular pain. See the urologist next week.
Posted 5/9/2015 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
Though I have not had prostate cancer I have had a TURP and 3 surgeries for epithelial carcinoma of the bladder. My bladder neck has developed scar tissue which has required surgery to transect the bladder neck twice in the past 2 years. Seems each time I have a cysto, there is a need to transect the bladder neck as it gets to narrow for the cysto to fit into the bladder. I go back in 3 months for a recheck and am sure the same procedure may be necessary. It has been taking me 2-3 weeks to get past the bladder spasms and burning after the procedure. The spanner sounds promising, but with my history, I was wondering if that may not be a solution.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply