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ureter not draining
Well as the jouney continues, I met with Uro Doc today as some may know I was in renision for almost 10 months. On last checkup no tumers but cancer cells in urine, we waited one month now still there. They did go in and do a TURB negative for cancer two samples. He has me do an IVP and today says ureter is restricted and it might be a tumer in the wall of the bladder near ureter causing to not drain as well as needed. Has this happened to anyone else? He says on the 27th of Nov he would like to go in and have another TURB and go deep in the area of concern. IF tumer is there do cemo or remove bladder. If not do some balone thing in the Ureter but he has to have someone else do it, it is a speacial procedure he deos not do. Does this seem like a normal way to approach this? Sorry if I am rambling, just looking for answers before I move forward. Thanks to all in advance. Don
Hanging in there! -
14 Replies
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I will let you all know. Rose enjoy your new grand baby. Don
Hanging in there! -
Good luck, Don.
I’ve been keeping up with you.
Buds,
Rosemary
Rosemary
Age – 55
T1 G3 – Tumor free 2 yrs 3 months
Dx January 2006 -
Thanks for the information, But of coarse I am hoping for a diferant outcome. I really would like to avoid the removal of my bladder and prostate. Although I really dont have much use for latter now, Have two grown children and I have BPH of which makes the systos much worse, but I would like to avoid the issues that come neo comes with. But then again I would like to get rid of the threat of cancer there forever. I am praying and hoping you make the 2 year mark as, I am suporting all of you folks out there with cancer. I will keep ypu all that are interested posted as to the outcome on the 27 is when they will go in for the TURB. Don
Hanging in there! -
I am going to try to keep this short but it is really a long story. I also had a blocked ureter by a tumor that was in my bladder. After 4 months of chemo before my surgery was scheduled my Dr. went in and did another TUR to make sure the tumor was still there. He got negative biopsies but the MRI still showed a 2cm growth in or near my bladder which was blocking my ureter. My surgeon mentioned a stent but never ended up putting one in, I just started chemo right away. Before my chemo the MRI showed a 4 cm growth. So the question was this growth that they were seeing on the MRI was it scar tissue or cancer? Since my biopsies where negative. My Dr. explained that he could of just missed the cancer cells when performing the TUR and that it could still be cancer. I ask him if there was a way he could biopsy the growth that they were seeing on the MRI. He said that they could try to go through my vagina and get a piece but it still wouldn’t be 100%. I ask him if they could just watch the growth and see if it gets any bigger? He said that it would be too late at that point. So, I made the choice for them to go in and do the neobaladder and thank God I did. It was cancer.
Once they removed my bladder and did a total hysterectomy on me, my ureter opened back up. My Dr. said that hopefully that would happen and it did. All my margins were clean and I have been cancer free for 18 months. My oncologist which is at Sloan Kettering said that the statics drop at the 18 month mark post-op for reoccurences and at the 2 year mark it is up to 90%’s for no reoccurences so I am keeping my fingers crossed and praying.
My surgeon was Dr. Mark Schoenberg at Johns Hopkins which I would highly recommend. I hope I helped you. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to PM me.
Dixie -
Good Morning: The stint was put in at first TURB, But removed in the office very fast and hardly any discomfort. Very fast Doc said count to 30 he would be done I made to 20 it was over. With stint in there was some discomfort when I empty the cath bag, And for the week after that cath was out it hurt a little when I urinated. So bottom line stint is not a big deal in the scope of things. Good luck and hang in there to all of you fine people, what a humbleing experance for us all. Don
Hanging in there! -
Don,
Did your Uro have to do another TURB a week later to remove the stent, or did he remove it in the office? (I’m not well informed as to stents, obviously) I may be having stents put in on 11/30, as I have a problem near my left ureter. Like you, I also had problems w/BCG and will be getting Mytomycin next time.David
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Don,
I am from Mich, but have not lived there for 14 years. I live in west Texas – urologist here does not see much bladder cancer, but used to work in Houston so has some experience with it. Even with all the negative biopsies he is recommending a second opinion – since Dr. Lamm’s office is in Phoenix, I am going to try there first, otherwise, my uro knows a doctor at MD Anderson. My last cysto was Nov 12 and my bladder looks the best that he has ever seen, but my uro took another bladder wash for a FISH and I have a CT scan scheduled next week (still have some unexplained flank pain – I have also had kidney stones), so I am waiting until all of these results come in before scheduling anything elsewhere.
I am a Mich State grad, hence the screen name, but I have not met with any uro in that part of the US.
Hope this helps. Ross
Ross M
TaG1 March 06
Recurrence Jan 07
BCG Maintenance after 6 week treatment -
Thanks for that info on how yours was cleared up. I take it by your name you are from Mi, May I ask who your uro was/is. Thanks. And I will move forward on the 27th and do what must be done. I wish it could be done sooner. Don
Hanging in there! -
Don,
I am sorry to hear about all of the tests you’ve had and the procedures that may be in your future. I had positive FISH and negative cystos as well. My doctor was not comfortable doing the balloon because he believes that it had a greater chance of damaging/breaking tissue and leading to infection. Instead, he pre-stented each of the ureters in separate procedures (always doing only 1 ureter at a time) and then coming back a week later for ureteroscope and brushing. He would pull the first stent, scope and brush, then re-stent. The stent would be removed during the next procedure for the other ureter. Final stent removed with no discomfort in his office. I don’t know if this is an option for you given that the IVP showed a blockage.
Hopefully, all of this has given you some info that you can generate some questions from and ask your own urologist about. And again, good luck with your next procedure.
Ross M
TaG1 March 06
Recurrence Jan 07
BCG Maintenance after 6 week treatment -
Hmmm…not being a doctor, uro or even a nurse I’m not the one to translate it perfectly but I do understand there’s a blockage in the bladder causing the ureter to be blocked as well. Your doctor is right to go in and see, and do a TUR, that is my impression.
ALl the best,
Wendy -
Thanks Ladys: I am not sure how from this report they know it is restricted.
Could you tell me what you think of this IVP report? This was done last Thursday, Findings: The prelinary view of the show califacations overlying the kidneys or expected course od the ureters.
Flollowing the adminstration of noninoic intravenous contrast, there is aprompt excretion from the right kidney. This kidney has anormal contour and the pelvicaliceal system is sharp and well defined. Ten-minite images show contrast thoughout a normal caliper right ureter. Delayed images up one hour were obtained. The one hour image shows a dense left nephrogram. Images obtainrd 20 minutes later show a small amount of contrast within dialated calyces. The left ureter is not seen.
Images of the full bladder show an irreguler filling defect in the left urinery bladder measuring approaximatly 4.0 x 1.7 CM. There is minimal postvoid residual within the urinary bladder.
IMPRESSION : There is a 4.0 x 1.7 CM irreguler filling defect in the left urinary bladder causing high grade obstruction of the left collecting system. As patiant was in no pain, he was discharged home.
Hanging in there! -
Hi Don,
I moved the topic.
I’m sorry to hear that the IVP showed ureter restriction and urine cytology is positive. Too bad he cannot do the balloon procedure if you needed it. Rosie makes a good point about less invasive diagnostic procedures and tempermental ureters…but I suppose there is no choice but to have the ureter scoped if there is a stricture causing urinary retention. And with positive cytology and negative bladder biopses, now he must rule out upper tract spread.
Are you comfortable that this is the most experienced uro with all the latest, greatest diagnostics at his fingertips, and if not could you switch? I know that aside from MRI+contrast, the CT-urogram is the newest way to get a great visual of the whole urinary tract. I just wish your uro could do any procedure you may ever need (including the balloon thing).
What was your original diagnosis? Did you have BCG?
Take care,
Wendy -
Thanks I will see what he says. One of my turbs was next to my left ureter and I had a stint in it for one week, back about 120 months ago. Maybe Windy or someone can switch it over to the non invasive. Don
Hanging in there! -
Don, why did you switch to the invasive bladder cancer heading? You are still superficial from what I have read. Your ureter is not draining sounds like there was some resection of the ureter that for now made it temperamental. I am repeating this from a radiologist who just did a renal ultrasound on me to check for hydrolysis since there was some resection of my left ureter this last TURB. He said the ureters and colon are very temperamental and will sometimes do some strange things when “messed with.” He said that is one reason doctors want to make sure you have a bowel movement and can urinate before you leave the hospital. Has your doctor suggested an MRI with contrast to look at the suspect area or even a less invasive ultrasound rather than additional surgery? I know this is a very worrisome and threatening time for you but if something can be seen or discounted from less invasive type tests, I personally would opt for that. By the way, my kidney is fine, it was so interesting seeing the whole urinary tract on the ultrasound and having the radiologist explain everything to me. Rosie
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