Surgeons Build New Bladders for Cancer Patients
Deion Sanders’ Neobladder Journey: A New Lease on Life After Bladder Cancer
Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has openly shared his experience with bladder cancer and the subsequent creation of a neobladder, a surgically constructed bladder using the body’s own tissue. His candidness aims to destigmatize the condition and encourage others to seek regular medical checkups.
Understanding the Neobladder: A Surgical Marvel
The neobladder is a complex surgical reconstruction that replaces a removed bladder,typically due to cancer. This innovative procedure involves using a segment of the patient’s intestine to create a new reservoir for urine.
How a Neobladder Works
The process of creating a neobladder involves connecting a section of the small intestine to the ureters, which carry urine from the kidneys.This intestinal segment is then fashioned into a pouch and attached to the urethra, allowing urine to exit the body. Unlike an artificial urinary diversion, a neobladder is an internal solution, meaning there is no external bag.
The Body’s Remarkable Adaptability
Dr. Janet Kukreja, director of urologic oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, highlights the “amazing” adaptability of the human body to such procedures. Patients typically experience a short hospital stay, often just a few days, for recovery. Dr. Kukreja performed Sanders’ neobladder reconstruction using robotic and laparoscopic techniques, which involve minimal incisions.
A meaningful advantage of using the body’s own tissue for a neobladder is that the immune system does not reject it, eliminating the need for immunosuppressant medications. This contrasts with artificial materials, which the urinary tract can reject, leading to complications like calcium buildup and bladder stones.
Life with a Neobladder: Challenges and Adaptations
while a neobladder offers a life-saving alternative,it functions differently from a natural bladder.
Relearning Bodily Signals
A key difference is that a reconstructed bladder cannot send signals to the brain indicating the need to urinate. This means patients must learn to manage their bladder function through a different process.
Dr. Jodi Maranchie, a surgical urologic oncologist at UPMC in Pittsburgh, explains that patients undergo training to gradually increase the intervals between bathroom visits, eventually gaining control during the day. Though, leakage, especially during sleep, can remain an issue.
Addressing Incontinence with Humor and Honesty
Deion Sanders has openly acknowledged this challenge, humorously noting his reliance on adult diapers, or “Depends,” comparing himself to his grandson. His willingness to discuss incontinence aims to reduce the shame often associated with it.
Urologist Dr. Kates praised Sanders’ authenticity and humor during a press conference, stating that Sanders was “anything but shameful.” He shared that two of his patients, around Sanders’ age, felt “completely validated” by Sanders’ openness.
Bladder Cancer: Awareness and Early Detection
Bladder cancer affects a significant number of people annually, with an estimated 85,000 cases expected in the U.S. this year, according to the American Cancer Society. While men are more commonly diagnosed, women tend to present with more advanced and aggressive disease.
Dr. Maranchie theorizes that women may sometimes mistake blood in the urine, the primary symptom of bladder cancer, for menstrual blood, perhaps delaying diagnosis.
Sanders’ own tumor was discovered during an annual checkup, underscoring the critical importance of regular medical screenings. He urged others to get checked, emphasizing that his proactive approach to his health likely saved his life. “Please get yourself checked out,” he advised. “Because if it wasn’t for me getting tested for something else they wouldn’t have stumbled up on this. make sure you get the right care.”