Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy in Patients with Neo-Bladder and Bowel Management after Radical Cystectomy
If you choose a neobladder as your type of urinary diversion, you will need to learn how to manage your bladder as part of your recovery. This includes bladder training and learning how to use a catheter to help empty your neobladder. You may also need to flush it out (irrigate) to remove extra mucus that the neobladder makes. You can learn more about this in the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Care module, which covers early care after bladder removal surgery (cystectomy).
Some people may have trouble with urine leaking from the neobladder after surgery. This is called incontinence. It happens when urine comes out without meaning to. This can be more common in the beginning, especially at night, as your body adjusts to the neobladder. Many people regain good bladder control over time, but for some, leakage may continue during the day or night.
Doing pelvic floor exercises, also called Kegel exercises, can help strengthen the muscles that support the neobladder. These exercises can improve your bladder control and reduce leakage.
We have a pre-recorded education session presented by a registered physiotherapist who has special training in pelvic floor therapy for people who have had pelvic surgery. If you are still having leakage more than 12 weeks after surgery, you can also have up to three free one on one appointments with our pelvic floor physiotherapist.
In these appointments, you will learn how to properly tighten and relax your pelvic floor muscles to help with bladder control. The physiotherapist may also use a tool called biofeedback to help you use the right muscles. This can help manage the feeling of needing to go right away and reduce leaks.
These appointments are provided at no charge through BCSC Program*.
Please visit the Session Dates page to see the schedule for our next Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy education session. To attend the session or book a clinical appointment, please contact the program assistant.
*For resident of British Columbia, $50 will be charged for missed appointments or late cancellations.
Upcoming Session Dates
Click here for a list of upcoming sessions
**YouTube video recording will be available soon
As a module of the Bladder Cancer Supportive Care (BCSC) Program, we offer information sessions for patients (pre- or post-treatment) to understand what can be done to reduce the effects of surgery and radiation therapy on bladder function. This session is pre-recorded and focuses on pelvic floor function for bladder control after radical cystectomy.
After you watched the information session, our physiotherapist also offers one-on-one clinical appointments for those patients with bladder concerns 12-weeks after treatment.
If you are interested in attending a module, please contact the BCSC Program Assistant at 604-875-4241 or bcsc@vch.ca, or please complete the intake form via the link below.
Phone: 604-875-4241 | Phone (toll-free): 844-483-1449
Fax: 604-914-3003
Email: bcsc@vch.ca
