CYSTECTOMY is the more extreme surgical procedure and is preferred by some doctors rather than TUR for treating early stage bladder cancer. Total or radical cystectomy refers to removal of the entire bladder. Partial cystectomy refers to partial removal of the bladder. This type of bladder surgery requires:
An incision to be made into the abdomen, under general anesthesia.
Either the entire or part of the bladder is removed, depending on the stage of cancer progression.
Surrounding tissue and organs that the cancer cells have spread to may also need to be removed.
In severe cases, the prostate will be removed from male patients and ovaries from female patients.
Post-operative patients may suffer from frequent urination, urinary stones, infection, male impotence, low semen production, and menopause in women whose ovaries and uterus were removed during bladder surgery.