Bladder injury during TAH

Is there anyone out there who had an injury to their bladder during their TAH???? I had a puncture to my bladder during TAH. Wondering what I can expect as far as recovery. Any info would be appreciated. Tear was repaired (2nd surgery) the day after TAH.
Thanks,
Juli

Hi Juli,

You don't say when your operation was or if the injury was repaired vaginally? I presume it was if you had it repaired the day after your TAH. How many weeks post-op are you now?

My bladder was torn during the surgery but was not detected straight away. When the cath came out after the TAH I was pouring out urine, but was sent home with antibiotics. It wasn't until I realized it was coming from the vagina that I was sent back to hospital and it was repaired vaginally 10 days after the TAH. I had a catheter for 2 weeks and then it was flushed with dye. When there were no leaks on the pad the cath was removed and I was sent home.

Unfortunately I started to leak vaginally again 4 months later and a fistula (a hole between the bladder and the vagina) had occurred and I was incontinent for 5 months before just having it repaired abdominally last month.

If you have had yours repaired vaginally you are now at risk of it reoccurring as a fistula as your bladder will have some scarring on it. You need to avoid straining the bladder or straining with constipation. Mine reoccurred after 4 months which the Dr said was rare. I would imagine if you are okay over the next few months then I am sure the repair was successful and you should be ok.

Good luck and let me know if you have other questions.
Blossom

Hi Blossom,
Thanks for responding. My surgery was about three weeks ago. The bladder injury was repaired through the same incision the TAH was done (through the abdomen). Immediately following surgery and for the next day there was blood in my urine-that apparently was the first indication that something was wrong. Wondering if since the repair was done through the abdomen if that will lessen the possibility of a vaginal fistula. Don't know. Do remember the urologist saying something about that. Anyway, thanks so much for the response and support.
Juli

Hello all,

Sorry you had a bladder injury. I am a surviving fistula sister.

Unlike you, I didn't find out about the surgeon stitching my bladder until I was home 10 days post op. It took 9 days of the "runaround" until I was finally able to see her (my doctor) and she immediately put a foley cath in me and set up an appt. with a urologist. To make my very very very LONG story short.....

I was cath'd (foley-transvaginally) for 3 months to let me heal from my TAH. The uro repaired my fistula going back through the same incision (4th time....2 c-sec's and hyst).

I'm worried because I keep thinking my fistula will return. My uro had to cut through my entire bladder to fix the hole as it was posterior. I'm reading of sisters having scar tissue and problems from that....

ANYWAY.....please know that we fistula sisters KNOW what your're going through. You will have lots of questions. We have lots of experience and suggestions to make you more comfortable.

I go real use to the foley cath. Before my second surgery (for the repair) I even jogged the week before WITH the foley. After the repair surgery I had 2 cath's for another month....

I've been healed from all for over a year now....I still have "issues" with my health....but time will heal....I HOPE!

Good luck Juli, and all sisters in waiting, healing, thinking....

Renee

Juli--
I'm a repaired Fister Sister,too. my GYN accidentally stitched my bladder during TAH. I didn't start to leak until 5 wks after (the amount of time it took for the stitch to dissolve). then, more waiting until the repair. 2/9/2004.

He used the same incision, i was in the hosp longer, little rougher recovery initially, but i got better quicker from the VVF repair, only out 5 weeks as opposed to 6 for the TAH.

Everything seems to be fine now, and from what i have read, abdominal repairs are the most reliable.

Fluffy Lemur

Hi,

I'm 4 week post op from my TAH and started leaking urine last week. We've ruled out infection and my doc put me on some anti bladder spasm medication that turns my urine blue. I saw him today and he said that if I was leaking urine into my vagina, there would be blue staining in my vagina and there wasn't any. However, when I got home from the doc, I put in a tampon and walked up and down my stairs a few times. The tampon was blue (top to bottom) with the urine dye. I've emailed my doctor and requested a full blown dye test. I just have the feeling I have a fistula. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone?

Marnel

Hi Juli,

If your bladder was repaired via the abdominal incision the day after your TAH it was probably stitched up which still leaves you prone to fistula. An abdominal repair of a fistula involves taking a layer of peritoneal fat and grafting it between the bladder and the top of the vagina to form a barrier between the two organs and therefore preventing the connection from reoccurring. From what I understand the surgeons usually like to wait at least 3 months after a TAH before performing this kind of operation.

If you have started leaking again it does sound like it could be a fistula. I have just completed my story in the journals section if you would like to read it, titled vesicovaginal fistula.

Please ask more questions if you have any.

Marnel, it does sound like a fistula if the tampon was blue. If you do a search on fistula you can get a lot of information on it and also perhaps read some of the posts of myself and previous fistula sisters.

Let me know if I can help,
Blossom

Thanks Blossom....I'll take a look at your journals and I'm sure I'll have questions.

Marnel

Princesses,

Some of you have made the statement that your GYN stitched your bladder. I was just wondering if the GYN actually admitted this to you, or is this just something you obviously know? My GYN said she'd never heard of my symptoms and told me to come back in a YEAR!!!! I referred myself to a URO who quickly diagnosed my fistula. But he is very noncommittal about how it got there; they practice in the same hospital.

Inquiring mindless leaking woman wants to know,

Nancy

Yes...my URO said that the pin sized hole was due to a stitch made by my GYN and they also practice in the same hospital. That's why it didn't show up until the stitch desolved-3 weeks post op. I'm not angry and am not gonna sue anybody. I'm chalking it up to...stuff happens. My GYN has done hundreds of hysts. He worked really hard to enable me to keep my ovaries because they were attached due to the endo. After all...they are only practicing medicine :-)