Bladder Constriction

I got good news yesterday on my surgery results - G7 - clean margins - organ confined disease - waiting for confirming PSA test at the end of December.

I live in Canada but travel often to the US on business - mostly 1 or 2 days at a time. I asked my Uro about travel and he cautioned me that there is a small percentage of men that have a bladder condition develop in the first few weeks after surgery that blocks the urine flow and could possibly require surgery. Has anyone had this happen? If so is it a sudden event? Reason for the question is that I would not be covered by my medical insurance out of Canada as it would stem from a pre exisiting condition. If the condition is slow developing I could hopefully get back home for treatment. Any info would be appreciated.

I would think that he is talking about a stricture at the point where the urethra has been stitched back together after the prostate is removed. That would restrict or block the urethra with scar tissue. There have been posts from those who had to either go back on a catheter temporarily or have the stricture removed (cleared out).

I have no idea how common that is, and so far (fortunately) have not had a similar problem.

Felt I needed to come in and answer this one. Optimist, after prostate surgery, there's a small group of men, 2-4%, that have stricture problems. For most, its often a once or twice event, usually from difficulties of the urethra to bladder neck connection in surgery. Some surgeons know in advance that there might be a problem. Usually, for the simple stricture problems, the dr can go up with a scope, look around, and find the problem. Often they reopen things with either a soft or hard dialation, or the can open it up with a small snip here and there.m

For others, like me, the stricture problem is chronic. In the 2 years since my open surgery, I have had 6 out patient surgeries to re-open
my bladder neck, plus 2 emergency dialations at the dr office. All of this kept me on a total of 21 catheters, about 1/2 year on foley catheters and a year on a suprapubic catheters. So yes, strictures can be a big issue.

Some strictures can take months to block things, however, I have been opened up surgically, with a laser yet, and had the bladder neck scar 100% closed shut in 30 days, which amazed even my surgeon.

When I had my Salvage Radiation, it made matters worse, often radiation alone can cause stricture issues, even if you didnt have them to start.

Now that my bladder has been shut down and bypassed, I will never have to deal with strictures, catheters, bladder spasms, or any of that the rest of my life. But this relief came with a big price, now that I have an ostomy and will for the rest of my life.

If you need any more info or help on the subject, feel free to email.

Hopefully, you wont have to deal with it.

david, now back to my disapearing act

My stricture was slow to develop.  Robotic surgery in mid June; developed urinary tract infection in mid July; one week later passed a plastic laproscopic clip through my urethra; noticed increased urination frequency and associated pain until November; then my Uro attempted a bladder scope but encountered scar tissue 4 inches upstream-next came the attempted dialation to no avail; underwent bladder neck constricture repair a few days later.

I had two problems - scar tissue from the laprascopic clip and a bladder neck constricture.  Don't know if they were related.

No problems since then, but the Uro said it might return in two months or two years or never again.  To date I have total continence, along with total ED.  If I had to choose between the two, this would be my selection; however, I am not content.

Good luck and think happy thoughts.

Hi Optimist,

I missed this post and just found it. I am so pleased about your pathology results, I am sure there was celebration!

An