Removal of the Bladder (Radical Cystectomy)

Removal of the bladder (radical cystectomy) is typically the standard treatment for a bladder cancer that invades through the superficial layers of the bladder into the bladder muscle.  This procedure can be performed using a standard incision below the bellybutton or robotically. 

Urine can be diverted into a bag worn on the outside of the body or into a newly created bladder, constructed from a segment of the bowel.  Physicians at the Urology Academic Practice have helped to develop the surgical techniques that are widely used when this procedure is performed robotically.