Two patients who underwent a less commonly performed bladder surgery, called bladder augmentation have been warned about the increased risk of developing bladder cancer.
Two patients who underwent a less commonly performed bladder surgery, called bladder augmentation have been warned about the increased risk of developing bladder cancer. The surgery is used in the treatment of urinary incontinence, a condition in which there is involuntary leak of urine, from the urinary bladder.
The Monash Medical centre and the Royal Children’s Hospital, in Australia have conducted the rare bladder surgery on more than 90 patients, since 1980. The surgical procedure enlarges the size and storage capacity of the bladder.Dr. Alan Woodward. Head of Urology Department at Royal Children's Hospital has urged the patients to contact the hospital, as early as possible. 'Now they need to see a specialist urologist once a year for a check on the bladder,' said Dr Woodward.
If these at risk patients are identified and monitored continuously, it could result in quick diagnosis. Early diagnosis of cancer is further associated with effective treatment and good prognosis.
Although the physicians have stated that the intention is not to alarm the patients about the risk of cancer, but to keep the patients and other family members fully informed about the risk. This would perhaps encourage them to undertake regular follow-ups.
'We don't really want to alarm them, but we want the families and the patients to be fully informed. We think our biggest risk is that they're not concerned enough about their problems to be attending for regular check-ups and that's the message we want to get across. We want them to be concerned and we want them to be having regular check-ups,' he concluded.
