Update 1 year after this neobladder surgery. In March 2022 at the 3 month checkup scan it was discovered that one ureter was partially blocked. Given the options of pursuing it then or waiting 3 months to see if the debris cleared, we chose to wait due to the surgeon's assessment. Unfortunately it was a stricture that closed the ureter completely and followup was needed to place a nephrostomy tube from the blocked kidney to an ostomy bag on his side. He has kidney damage from it being blocked now. Robotic surgery in October at Mayo enabled a reattachment of the ureter to the neobladder and removal of the nephrostomy tube after 4 months. The stent in the ureter was just removed in an easy procedure last week. Through all these invasive diagnostics it was also found that the urethra/neobladder junction was scarred down, so that has been dilated and now he self catheterizes 2-3 times a day to keep it open and remove any residual urine. His urine control is quite good, with only occasional leakage at night. He still has a very large incisional hernia due to the initial postop infection that will need to be repaired next. He wears a binder to support that until surgery can be scheduled. Through all of this, he is still glad that he chose the neobladder surgey over a urostomy. As the caregiver, I am concerned over the loss of kidney function which may become an issue with age. After this experience, if I were faced with the same decision, I would choose a urostomy. Again, the incredible surgical skills of the Mayo specialists made this all possible and we are forever grateful for each day of being cancer-free.

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