Bladder and Ureter damage during hysterectomy

Hi Everyone,

I was scheduled for a LAVH on June 11th 2014 due to issue with fibroids. Gynecologist told me after surgery that I had a cantaloupe size fibroid fused to my bladder. The removal caused damage to my bladder and a kink in my right ureter. A urologist was called in to repair the bladder and put a stent in my ureter, resulting in four hour full abdominal surgery. I was just released from the hospital yesterday with a catheter and stent which are both scheduled to be removed on June 25.

I also had several other complications which included blood transfusion, blood clot clogging the catheter, hematoma on the incision and lots of bruising. It's been a difficult and emotional week, although I am starting to feel better. If this was all over I could concentrate on recovery and move on. However, I was told that I may require a second surgery to repair the ureter once the stent has been removed.

What are the chances the stent will work and I won't need additional surgery?. I was given all this news while in the hospital heavily medicated, so didn't think to ask enough questions. I have a follow up on Thursday and will ask then.

Wondering if anyone else had a stent in place due to damage to the ureter and was it successful in avoiding surgery? I am scared out of my mind at the thought of more surgery.

I have no idea how to answer your questions, but I wanted to say how sorry I am that this happened to you and let you know that you aren't alone. I'm sending you lots of healing energy.

Hi Mimi,

I do not have personal experience with ureter damage but have read threads of other sisters with both results. Some don't require more surgery and some do. Please write down all of your questions before your appointment so you don't forget what you wanted to ask the doctor. Here is an article for you to read and if you put "ureter damage" in the search bar you will find other threads that have been previously posted about this topic. Ureter Injury or Damage

You might want to post over on the pelvic floor / bladder issues board. You might get more responses. I don't think anyone can really say what exactly your chances are of the stent healing the injury. I do think your chances are greater since your injury was discovered right away and it was not actually severed.

I had a ureteral injury that wasn't discovered until six weeks later and the ureter had come apart. Stenting did not work for me, I needed a reimplantation, but I know it has worked for others.

It is a good idea to take a little notebook with you to write down information. You might even want to take someone with you. It can be hard to absorb all the information at once. If you have any questions about the stent itself, I'll try to answer them since I ended up having several. I'll also answer any questions about the reimplantation surgery if you want to know about that.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by HB25 You might want to post over on the pelvic floor / bladder issues board. You might get more responses. I don't think anyone can really say what exactly your chances are of the stent healing the injury. I do think your chances are greater since your injury was discovered right away and it was not actually severed. I had a ureteral injury that wasn't discovered until six weeks later and the ureter had come apart. Stenting did not work for me, I needed a reimplantation, but I know it has worked for others. It is a good idea to take a little notebook with you to write down information. You might even want to take someone with you. It can be hard to absorb all the information at once. If you have any questions about the stent itself, I'll try to answer them since I ended up having several. I'll also answer any questions about the reimplantation surgery if you want to know about that.

Hi there,
I am curious about ureter reimplantation. I had a laparoscopy 6 years ago to check for scar tissue and to see how bad my pelvic congestion syndrome was after c-section and my constant complaint of pain. It was scheduled as a lap w/poss hysterectomy, so my gyne brought in a urologist to place uretheral stents in case he did go ahead w the hysterectomy. The urologist got the left side in fine, but couldn't get the rt side in. He spent 45 mins trying in and out back and forth pushing to the point he gave up after he noticed I started bleeding. Only had lap and some scar tissue removed that day, but was admitted to the hospital a day later with a blood clot in my ureter that blocked the urine from getting to my bladder. Needed a nephrostomy tube placed thru my back into my kidney for 14 days til the clot dissolved. For 6 years I've been in pain....numerous abdominal surgeries, pain mgmt, etc and finally my hysterectomy 5 weeks ago. But before my surgery I gad a pre op ct scan which revealed damage to that rt ureter. The IV dye didn't flow thru the ureter like it should and it still hurts. Once I heal from my hysterectomy I need to find a urologist to decide how to fix this. What's involved? Thanks in advance!

Thank you for your replies. It's reassuring talking to people who understand what I am going through. When I speak to my friends, they keep telling me everything is going to be okay and that many women have hysterectomies. They really don't understand the full extent of the complications.

Anyway, had my one week follow up today. Feeling much better getting dressed and leaving the house. Doctor explained to me that my uterus and fibroids were so big that they have been probably pressing against my bladder for years. When he performed the surgery the bladder wall was so thin from the fibroids pushing on it for so long he could see through it. He believes the ureter was also kinked from the fibroids. He and the urologist feel that the stent should work as they did not notice any nicks or tears in the ureter during surgery. If they had, the urologist would have re-attached it at the time he was repairing the bladder.

Next week I have the catheter and stent out and they will at that time have a better idea whether surgery to re-attach the ureter would be required.

He explained the surgery will be abdominal and will not be as difficult as the hysterectomy. The surgery will also be done right away.

I am so nervous about a second surgery, but nothing I can do but wait and see.

Good luck!!! Be sure to call your Dr. with any sign of possible uti or bladder infection. Be well!!!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by MelissaMS Hi there, I am curious about ureter reimplantation. I had a laparoscopy 6 years ago to check for scar tissue and to see how bad my pelvic congestion syndrome was after c-section and my constant complaint of pain. It was scheduled as a lap w/poss hyst, so my gyne brought in a urologist to place uretheral stents in case he did go ahead w the hyst. The urologist got the left side in fine, but couldn't get the rt side in. He spent 45 mins trying in and out back and forth pushing to the point he gave up after he noticed I started bleeding. Only had lap and some scar tissue removed that day, but was admitted to the hospital a day later with a blood clot in my ureter that blocked the urine from getting to my bladder. Needed a nephrostomy tube placed thru my back into my kidney for 14 days til the clot dissolved. For 6 years I've been in pain....numerous abdominal surgeries, pain mgmt, etc and finally my hysterectomy 5 weeks ago. But before my surgery I gad a pre op ct scan which revealed damage to that rt ureter. The IV dye didn't flow thru the ureter like it should and it still hurts. Once I heal from my hysterectomy I need to find a urologist to decide how to fix this. What's involved? Thanks in advance!

My understanding is that the first step would be to repair with a stent. If this doesn't work, surgery would be required. Doctor also told me that if the ureter wasn't working you would know right away because you would have severe kidney pain.

Are you in any pain? Has the urologist explained your options to you?

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Mimi2014 My understanding is that the first step would be to repair with a stent. If this doesn't work, surgery would be required. Doctor also told me that if the ureter wasn't working you would know right away because you would have severe kidney pain. Are you in any pain? Has the urologist explained your options to you?

I have been in pain for 6 years. Not like when my ureter was blocked, but still pain. Basically the ureter is compromised and narrows where the injury was. Going to a specialist at university hospital July 2nd.

Mimi Hi,
So sorry to hear of all your issues. Hoping and praying for the best for you. I am the Sunshine Sister on the June 9-15 Hysterectomy Recovery thread. If you would like the support of your sisters who had their surgery the same week as you please come on over. They are a great group of ladies.
Hugs and best wishes.
Anndy