Medical Condition Library

Information Centers

Wellness Centers

Helpful Resources

Bladder Augmentation—Open Surgery

(Augmentation, Bladder—Open Surgery; Augmentation Cystoplasty—Open Surgery; Cystoplasty, Augmentation—Open Surgery)

by Rebecca J. Stahl, MA

Definition

Reasons for Procedure

Possible Complications

What to Expect

Call Your Doctor

En Español

Definition

Bladder augmentation makes the bladder bigger.

The Urinary Tract

Reasons for Procedure

Bladder augmentation makes the bladder large enough to collect urine. When the bladder is too small, it can cause urine to leak out of the body or back up into the kidneys. This can cause an infection in the urinary tract, causing harm to the kidneys. It’s also used when other care methods fail.

Problems, such as long term blockage or birth defects, can cause the bladder to be too small.

Other reasons:

Bladder muscle problems causing urine to leak—overactive bladder
Nerve problems with the bladder causing urine to leak or be retained— neurogenic bladder

Possible Complications

Problems from the procedure are rare, but all have some risk. Your doctor will review potential problems such as:

Excess bleeding
Reaction to anesthesia
Infection
Blood clots
Bladder rupture
Incontinence—may be temporary or require more surgery to fix
Higher risk of kidney stones

Before your procedure, talk to your doctor about ways to manage factors that may increase your risk of complications such as:

Smoking
Drinking
Chronic disease such as diabetes or obesity

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

You may have:

Blood and urine tests
Imaging tests such as x-rays, ultrasounds, or bladder pressure studies

Talk to your doctor about the medicines you take. You may need to stop them up to 1 week prior to the procedure.

Before surgery, your doctor may advise you:

Eat a low-fiber diet.
Take antibiotics.
Use a prep to clean out your bowels.

Anesthesia

General anesthesia —will block pain and keep you asleep

Description of the Procedure

An incision will be made in the belly. An incision will also be made on the top part of the bladder. A part of the intestine or stomach will be removed and placed over the opening in the bladder. This new part will work like a patch. The doctor will sew it into place.

A stoma may also be created. This is a small opening through the belly wall to an opening at the top of the bladder. This will make it easier for you to insert the catheter into the bladder.

Immediately After Procedure

A catheter will be left in place to drain urine from the bladder.

You may be given fluids, pain medicines, and antibiotics. This may be done through an IV. A tube will be placed through your nose to your stomach. This tube will keep your stomach drained. This will stay in place until your stomach and intestines begin working normally again.

How Long Will It Take?

4-8 hours

How Much Will It Hurt?

Anesthesia will prevent pain during surgery. Pain and discomfort after the procedure can be managed with medicines.

Average Hospital Stay

The usual stay is 6-10 days. If you have any problems, you will need to stay longer.

Post-procedure Care

At the Hospital

The healthcare staff will:

Give you fluids and nutrients through an IV—You will not be able to eat until your intestines are working again. This may take a few days. Then, the tube in your nose will be removed. You will start to take fluids by mouth. You will slowly move to soft foods.
Have you take deep breaths to keep your lungs clear.
Have you walk around.
Teach you how to use the catheter. It’s placed through the urethra or through the stoma. If you’re better, the catheter placed during surgery will be taken out.
Teach you how to wash out the bladder using salt water and a catheter.

During your stay, the healthcare staff will take steps to lower your chance of infection such as:

Washing their hands
Wearing gloves or masks
Keeping your incisions covered

There are also steps you can take to lower your chance of infection such as:

Washing your hands often and reminding your healthcare staff to do the same
Reminding your healthcare staff to wear gloves or masks
Not letting others touch your incision

At Home

To help you get healthier faster:

Follow the directions in caring for your catheter. You may see blood in the urine for a few weeks.
If you are catheterizing yourself, carefully follow the plans for draining your bladder.
Wash out the bladder as advised. This is especially important if you have a piece of the intestine attached to your bladder. The intestine patch will continue to make mucus. This can clog the catheter tube.

Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if any of these occur:

Fever or chills
Signs of infection from the incision or stoma:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Pus
Nausea or vomiting
Belly pain
Urinary problems such as:
- Little output
- Extreme cloudiness
- Presence of pus
- Bad odor
Trouble placing the catheter or washing it out

If you think you have an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.

RESOURCES:

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
https//www.niddk.nih.gov

Urology Care Foundation
http://www.urologyhealth.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

The Kidney Foundation of Canada
https://www.kidney.ca

References:

Bladder augmentation. Boston Children’s Hospital website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed June 13, 2018.

Bladder augmentation (enlargement). Urology Care Foundation website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed June 13, 2018.

Bladder augmentation surgery FAQ. UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital website. Available at: https://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/education/bladder_augmentation_surgery/index.html. Accessed June 13, 2018.

6/2/2011 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamed... : Mills E, Eyawo O, Lockhart I, Kelly S, Wu P, Ebbert JO. Smoking cessation reduces postoperative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2011;124(2):144-154.

Last reviewed May 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Adrienne Carmack, MD
Last Updated: 6/13/2018

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.