Surgeons at The Royal Children’s Hospital and Monash Medical Centre wish to contact patients from the past 25 years who had a particular kind of surgery to enlarge their bladder.
The operation, called bladder augmentation with bowel, involves using a piece of the patient’s own bowel to enlarge the bladder. It has been performed at both hospitals since the early 1980s to prevent renal failure and improve the quality of life of patients, many of whom were incontinent until they had the surgery. Many of the patients had congenital bladder deformities that meant they had a high risk of developing renal failure.

Tens of thousands of patients world-wide have had the operation. In recent years a small number of overseas patients (about 35) who have had the surgery have developed bladder cancer, as well as one former patient from The Royal Children’s Hospital.

Doctors at The Royal Children’s and Monash Medical Centre now want to make sure all their past patients receive appropriate follow-up and monitoring. The two hospitals are conducting a joint look back program to locate past patients, and refer them to a urologist for regular checkups.

“We are concerned that some patients, particularly those who are well and not in touch with specialists, may not learn of this development and are not having regular checkups,” said Mr Alan Woodward, Head of Urology at The Royal Children’s Hospital and Consultant Paediatric Urologist at the Monash Medical Centre. “We don’t want to alarm people; we are simply being cautious and have a duty of care for our patients.”

The hospitals have gone back through their surgery records and identified 96 people who had the surgery. They have written to patients, asking them to contact the program coordinator for information and to make sure they are in touch with a specialist urologist who can provide the necessary regular monitoring.

Many of the patients are now adults and some live interstate.

The program will establish a register for people who wish to be kept informed of developments regarding this condition.

Families and patients requiring further information may call program coordinator, Jacquie Burton on 9345 5846, 9345 4342 or 9345 4343

For background information on Bladder Augmentation download information sheet  (PDF 76KB)