Neobladder construction is a surgical technique designed to restore bladder function in individuals who have lost their bladder due to disease, injury, or other medical conditions. The neobladder is created using a section of the patient’s small intestine, which is carefully shaped into a pouch and placed in the same location as the original bladder. This new bladder functions by holding urine, allowing the patient to regain voluntary control over urination, closely mimicking natural bladder function. The procedure, known as orthotopic neobladder construction, ensures that the new bladder is placed in its natural anatomical position, offering a more functional and familiar way of storing and emptying urine.
However, after the procedure, there is typically a period of urinary leakage as the neobladder adjusts to its new role. During this time, the neobladder gradually stretches to a more typical size, and the patient works to strengthen the sphincter muscle that controls the release of urine. With time and rehabilitation, most patients regain better control of their bladder, leading to improved continence.
Neobladder construction procedure is an option when the bladder is surgically removed due to conditions such as bladder cancer, severe urinary incontinence that has not responded to other treatments, chronic inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders affecting bladder function, complications from radiation therapy, congenital abnormalities that cannot be repaired, or trauma to the bladder.