TURBT for bladder cancer

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This is a minimally invasive procedure that is used for staging of bladder cancer, as well as treatment. A fine telescope is passed into your bladder, and the tumour is removed from the bladder. The tumour is then examined by a pathologist to determine the stage and grade of the bladder cancer, which is important for treatment planning.  

Risks of surgery

• Bleeding: some traces of blood is common for 1-2 weeks after surgery. We encourage you to increase your oral fluid intake
• Infection: this may occur in less than 5% of cases
• Urinary irritation: burning discomfort, urinary urgency and difficulty with urination may occur as the lining of the bladder heals. You may consider trying Ural satchets from the pharmacy if this is a problem for you
• Bladder injury: this is uncommon, but a deeper resection may be required to clear the cancer. This increases the risk of bladder injury, but inmost cases, can be managed by leaving the catheter for longer.

Preparing for your surgery

If you are advised that you are undergoing surgery, please inform the clinic if you are taking blood thinning medications.

Recovery after your surgery

• Depending on the size of the bladder cancer, you may be able to go home on the same day or may need to stay for one night
• You may have a catheter with a gentle irrigation after the procedure. This is usually removed before you go home from hospital
• Do not strain in the toilet or lift anything heavy for 2 weeks after your surgery to reduce risk of bleeding
• You will receive a follow-up appointment to discuss the results within 3-4 weeks. If you do not receive an appointment, please call the clinic on (08) 6317 3464. 

When should you be concerned?

There are some things to look out for as you recover after your surgery. These include symptoms like:

• Unable to pass urine
• Passing large blood clots in urine
• Fever with temperature >38 degrees

If any of the above symptoms occur, please contact the clinic on (08) 6317 3464 during the hours of 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.  For medical emergencies after hours, go to your local emergency department.