Bladder Surgery Alternatives

Bladder surgery is usually performed to treat incontinence or bladder cancer. For bladder cancer, chemotherapy is an alternative treatment only for patients in the earliest stages of cancer growth. If you have problems with urinary incontinence, your doctor can discuss with you several alternatives to bladder surgery as treatment options.

The Facts

• Bladder surgery is a final treatment option for incontinence. Incontinence can occur in men and women of any age. You can experience it when your bladder is put under physical stress, losing urine when you sneeze, cough or make a sudden movement. You could lose bladder control after an abrupt contraction of your bladder leaves you with no time to reach a restroom. Incontinence can also occur when the bladder fills too quickly, causing urine to spill out. Treatment alternatives to bladder surgery include medications and injections, therapy and management.

Medications

• Medication is a bladder surgery alternative. If your incontinence is caused by an overactive bladder, medications are available that will help to relax the muscles around the bladder and prevent sudden contractions. For women, stress incontinence can be treated by injections of a bulking agent around the urethra, which will close the bladder opening. This prevents urine from spilling when the bladder is stressed. A pessary is a stiff ring that a doctor can insert into a woman's vagina. It works like a bulking agent to support the bladder and prevent incontinence.

Therapy

• Some forms of physical therapy are effective alternatives to bladder surgery. Bladder retraining therapy focuses on urinating on a set schedule. By slowly lengthening the time between urination, you can train your muscles to stop bladder leakage. Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor and improve your control over urination. Biofeedback is a treatment option that uses an electronic device to make you more aware of how your bladder muscles contract, helping you gain better control over them.

Considerations

• Most bladder surgery alternatives are treatment options that your doctor will recommend before trying surgery. There are some risks associated with them. Medications can cause side effects, including blurred vision and memory loss. Injected blocking agents can be absorbed by your body, necessitating more injections. A pessary might increase a woman's risk of urinary tract and vaginal infections. If these alternative treatments do not work for you or if the side effects are unmanageable, you might need to consider bladder surgery.

Management

• If alternative treatments do not work for you and bladder surgery is not an option, then you can manage your incontinence. Changing your diet to eliminate caffeine and alcohol is one option. Your doctor can teach you to use a catheter to empty your bladder in a quick, painless procedure. Absorbent pads and undergarments are available that are effective and discrete.