Bladder Surgery Complications

Bladder surgeries can be indicated for a variety of conditions, including a prolapsed bladder (where the weakened bladder has descended into the vagina) or urinary incontinence (in which the bladder has become weak and unable to control urinary function). While there are many conditions associated with bladder conditions and different surgical approaches may be taken, there are shared complications involved with bladder surgeries, which should be considered before a surgical procedure is undertaken.

Difficulty Urinating

• This complication typically occurs following a bladder procedure such as a sling procedure, which is recommended for prolapse or urinary incontinence. Instead of urine leakage, a sling can create the opposite effect of where the person retains urine, creating difficulty when urinating. This can be especially problematic because the bladder becomes enlarged, which causes deterioration of the sling.

Overactive Bladder

• This side effect is common in tumor removal for bladder cancer patients. Known as a segmental cystectomy, removing a portion of the bladder may cause overactive bladder incontinence symptoms, which include urine leakage or sudden, overwhelming urge to urinate.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

• Pelvic organ prolapse can cause as a result of urinary incontinence surgery. While the bladder could be one of the organs that prolapses into the vagina, other pelvic organs, such as the uterus, rectum or small bowel can also be involved. During incontinence surgery, repairing the bladder and restoring its shape or function may affect or move the surrounding organs, causing prolapse.

Urinary Tract Infection

• Infections are a common occurrence of many surgeries, and a urinary tract infection is a complication associated with several bladder surgeries, such as retropubic suspension or a sling procedure. Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria from the bladder or urethra do not flush out properly and pool in a portion of the urinary tract. This infection can be treated with medications, and danger of infections should subside following the complication of the surgical recovery period.

Pain with Intercourse

• Particularly while the bladder is healing from surgical trauma, pain during intercourse can make intercourse difficult. This can be caused due to urethra inflammation that can follow surgery or due to scar tissue buildup in the bladder. If intercourse remains painful months after surgery, a bladder surgery patient should seek medical treatment.