Kim,
The bladder augmentation and Malone procedures have allowed my daughter (now 14)
to be more independent with the bathroom since she had it done around age 5 when
she started school. She has a regular bowel routine where she uses a port in her
stomach to flush out her bowels every 2 or 3 days. The port was created with her
appendix, which the doctor removed and reused.
 
With the bladder augmentation she can cath herself through her navel. She uses
bags with catheters in them and can use them while we are on the road. Some of
the other kids on her wheelchair basketball team here in Charlotte also had this
procedure done.
 
The bladder augmentation does have risks. If they use bowel tissue to expand the
bladder (as my daughter had done) there is a greater risk of bladder cancer
starting around the college years. It is important to flush the bladder
regularly to prevent kidney/bladder stones from forming. We knew a family whose
child had severe complications several months after the surgery. It is important
to catheterize to drain the bladder as frequently as the doctor recommends. I
believe it is more frequent while the augmented bladder is healing.
 
My daughter now caths about every 4 hours. If her bladder gets too full she has
a hard time getting the catheter in. We have found ways to help by getting her
to lay flat on her back or going through her natural urethra in an emergency.
She has gotten as much as 800 CCs out of her augmented bladder. But 500 to 600
CC have required her to do the flat on the back method. She may feel like she
has to go even when she only gets 100 CCs out. This is more likely if she gets a
bladder infection.
 
Overall we are pleased with the way it has helped her be more independent.
Please feel free to e-mail my wife, Kim, at sbanc_2000@... for better
details. We will keep your daughter and you in our prayers.
 
God bless!



 
Michael H. Gates
Indian Trail, NC 28079

--- On Fri, 10/10/08, casteel54 <casteel54@...> wrote:

From: casteel54 <casteel54@...>
Subject: [SBAofNC] bladder augmentation
To: sbaofnc@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, October 10, 2008, 11:49 AM






has anyone had a bladder augmentation? my daughter is getting ready to
have surgery on friday the 17th.she is also having the malone antegrade
continence procedure and i dont know anything about it or if it works.


















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