Radical cystectomy is a big operation involving two body systems – the urinary and the intestinal systems. The more we understand about how the two systems work, the better our recovery will be. Here’s a brief description of these two vital systems.
The body takes nutrients from food and changes the nutrients to energy. After the body takes the nutrition that it needs, waste products are left behind in the blood and in the bowel.
The urinary system removes the waste product called urea from the blood. Urea is made when foods containing protein (meats and some vegetables) are broken down in the body and carried in the blood to the kidneys.
The kidneys remove urea from the blood through tiny filtering units called nephrons. Urea, water and other waste substances make the urine as they pass through the nephrons and down the renal tubules of the kidney.
The intestines are a long, continuous tube running from the stomach to the opening where the stool leaves the body (anus). Most absorption of nutrients and water happen in the intestines, which include the small intestine, large intestine, and rectum.
The small intestine (small bowel) is about 20 feet long and about an inch in diameter. Its job is to absorb most of the nutrients from what we eat and drink. Velvety tissue lines the small intestine, which is divided into the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
The large intestine (colon or large bowel) is about 5 feet long and about 3 inches in diameter, and creates formed stool, once the nutrients are absorbed. As stool enters the rectum, nerves there create the urge to have a bowel movement.
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