J44 — November 2009 —Neobladder

Intro: Imagine being diagnosed with bladder cancer as a young woman, and also being told that after surgery you might end up having to use an outside bag to collect urine. It would change your life and make some activities difficult. Doctors at Mayo Clinic strive to make this situation better for patients. They're constructing new bladders so people like the cancer survivor you're about to meet can live normal lives.

"IF I CAN OVERCOME CANCER. I CAN DEFINITELY RUN HALF MARATHONS AND FULL MARATHONS."

24-YEAR-OLD DEVI CHETTIAR HAS NOT LET BLADDER CANCER SLOW HER DOWN.

"IT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST THING AND THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME."

THE BEST BECAUSE DEVI REALIZED HER STRENGTHS. THE WORST BECAUSE SHE HAD TO ENDURE MAJOR SURGERY DURING WHICH DOCTORS REMOVED HER ENTIRE BLADDER. IT WAS THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD BE SURE THE CANCER WAS GONE. AND THAT SURGERY COULD MEAN SHE'D NEED AN OUTSIDE BAG TO COLLECT URINE.

"SO WE DISCUSSED WITH HER THE POSSIBILITY OF RECONSTRUCTING HER URINARY TRACT AND MAKING WHAT WE CALL A NEW BLADDER, A NEOBLADDER."

DR. MICHAEL BLUTE AND HIS TEAM AT MAYO CLINIC FIRST REMOVED THE BLADDER TO MAKE SURE NO CANCER REMAINED. WITH PART OF THE BOWEL THEY FORMED A NEW BLADDER AND ATTACHED IT TO THE URETHRA. AND BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO SPARE THE MUSCLES THAT CONTROL URINE FLOW, DEVI ENDED UP WITH A NEW BLADDER THAT FUNCTIONS LIKE A NORMAL ONE.

"IT'S NOT THE SAME URGE TO GO AS WITH A USUAL BLADDER. IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT I'M USED TO IT AFTER FOUR-AND-A-HALF YEARS."

DEVI IS CANCER FREE. SHE SAYS THE EXPERIENCE TAUGHT HER MANY THINGS.

"IT KIND OF MADE ME REALIZE HOW FRAGILE LIFE IS, AND IT ALSO MADE ME REALIZE THAT I WANT TO GO INTO MEDICINE."

TO HELP OTHERS AS DR. BLUTE AND HIS TEAM HELPED HER. FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS.

Anchor tag: Some people with neobladders have to occasionally use a catheter to help empty them completely. But even then, the surgery allows for improved quality of life. Not all people with bladder cancer would benefit from this surgery. For those who can, it is life changing.

For more information about bladder cancer, visit our Website at…

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