After urinating, take a moment to observe your urine—a piece of advice many have heard from doctors. The color and appearance of urine hold clues to your health, offering valuable insights. Recurrent hematuria for three months, initially ignored due to lack of pain or discomfort In healthy individuals, urine appears clear, pale yellow, or amber in color. Its shade may vary depending on individual factors and urine volume.
Mr. Ji, a 41-year-old family breadwinner, experienced recurrent hematuria over the past three months. Initially dismissing it as harmless due to the absence of pain or discomfort, he grew concerned when the symptoms persisted. A visit to his local hospital revealed an ultrasound strongly suggesting bladder cancer—a devastating blow.
Seeking better care, Mr. Ji was referred to the Urology Department at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (hereafter referred to as "Southern Medical University Third Hospital").
Comprehensive CT and MRI scans, along with a cystoscopic biopsy, revealed a highly malignant and extremely rare form of cancer—accounting for less than 1% of bladder cancers: primarily small cell carcinoma with a small amount of adenocarcinoma.Fortunately, the tumor had not yet metastasized to distant sites.
Radical cystectomy is one of the most complex procedures in urology, requiring removal of the bladder, prostate, and seminal vesicles, along with pelvic lymph node dissection. It also necessitates selecting an appropriate urinary diversion technique.
Given the tumor's high malignancy, the patient also required an extended pelvic lymph node dissection. After consulting with the patient and family, Director Liu Cundong decided to perform a single-port laparoscopic minimally invasive procedure.
As the name suggests, single-port laparoscopy involves creating only one thumb-sized incision in the navel area to complete the entire surgery.Compared to conventional laparoscopic procedures requiring 3-5 ports, this technique offers advantages including minimal trauma, reduced postoperative pain, faster recovery, and smaller, more concealed surgical scars.
This technology elevates minimally invasive laparoscopy to new heights by minimizing external tissue damage. It thus holds significant advantages over traditional laparoscopy, particularly in its cosmetic benefits—a boon for patients concerned about appearance.
Despite the high surgical difficulty, Dr. Liu Cundong successfully completed the procedure through his extensive experience and exceptional skill. Mr. Ji was able to get out of bed and move freely the very next day, and began eating on the second postoperative day. "I never imagined such a major surgery could be done through such tiny incisions. I'm so grateful to the doctors at Southern Medical University Third Affiliated Hospital!" he said with a smile.
Medical Alert: Urinary Symptoms Indicating Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system, with male incidence rates approximately 3-4 times higher than females. It severely compromises quality of life and poses a significant threat to survival.
Director Liu Cundong advises: Painless gross hematuria (visible blood in urine) is a key clinical indicator of bladder cancer. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial upon its appearance.Early-stage tumors can be treated with bladder-preserving surgery and have an excellent prognosis. However, if the disease progresses to the middle or late stages, radical cystectomy may become necessary. Single-port laparoscopic surgery offers advantages such as minimal trauma, rapid postoperative recovery, and concealed incision scars, representing a higher level of minimally invasive laparoscopic technology.