Memorial Sloan Kettering urologic surgeon Bernard Bochner says that minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopic surgery and robot-assisted surgery, are sometimes used to perform radical cystectomy – a procedure involving the removal of the bladder and other genitourinary organs. Reconstruction of the urinary tract requires an incision in the abdomen, but doctors use different approaches to improve urinary function and quality of life. Some patients may be candidates for a procedure in which surgeons use a portion of the patient’s intestine to form a new bladder, allowing the patient to urinate normally.
The coordination of the care team at Memorial Sloan Kettering and access to the latest therapies are important in ensuring good treatment outcomes for bladder cancer patients.
