Various methods are used to construct a new bladder for the patient to store and pass urine. A new opening called an ostomy or stoma may be created through the abdominal wall. These continent urinary diversions are drained by the patient with or without a tube called a catheter. The methods used to treat bladder cancer are powerful. That's why treatment may cause unpleasant side effects.
Side effects depend on the type of treatment used and on the part of the body being treated.
When the bladder is removed, the patient needs a new way to store and pass urine. This operation can lead to sexual problems. In the past, nearly all men were impotent after the procedure, but improvements in surgery have made it possible to prevent this in many men. In women, the vagina may be narrower or shallower, and intercourse may be difficult. During radiation therapy, patients may become very tired as the treatment continues.