Hello. I'm not yet a member of the "club", but I am scheduled for bladder removal on June 6th - DaVinci surgery because of a high grade carcinoma.
My urologist and oncologist both recommended the exterior bag approach, saying that the procedure for a substitute bladder has many problems.
I had been hopeful that the cancer could be removed without total removal of the bladder. The biopsy revealed aggressive invasion of the lamina propria,
but stated that the tumor abuts the smooth muscle, but does not show definite invasion into the muscularis propria. I thought this could result in a less
serious surgical approach, but my doctors both said removal was necessary, because of squamous differentiation.
I will return to this site after my bladder removal, but welcome any comments in the interim.
Ed Barnas