Radical Cystectomy Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

Complications occur in 25%-35% of patients undergoing cystectomy. If you are planning to have a cystectomy, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Loss of sexual function
• Fluid build-up in the abdominal cavity
• Damage to other organs
• Blockage of urine flow from the ureters to the bladder
• Nutritional problems (depending on the bowel segments used to create a way for urine to drain)
• Blood clots
• Reaction to anesthesia
• Urinary incontinence

Previous surgery in the abdomen or pelvis or radiation to the area increase your risk of complications.

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision and/or stoma site
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Pain that you cannot control with the medicines you have been given
• Inability to urinate or difficulty urinating, extreme cloudiness or pus in the urine, a bad odor to the urine
• Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain

In case of an emergency, CALL 911.