[zeta]

I am wondering if anyone may have had a Mitrofanoff procedure done maybe a suprapubic too. I am currently voiding spasticly messy bussiness there. My doctor gave me both choices but not sure what to do. I've done quite alot of research on both but there isn't alot of feedback on how people feel about either one. With an indwelling how do you deal with the tube dresssing/undressing, tightness of clothes or bending over do you have to be careful of crimping? I have tons of questions probably could spend hours typing them could anyone tell me how they feel about their choice pros cons anything would be helpful.

zeta

[ziggy]

I have a SP and the pros

Convient and easy to deal with since i can empty my bag by myself
No jamming anything into my dick which i can still feel

Cons

Having a piss bag on me 24/7 wasn't my plan for life pre-injury
Getting UTI's seem unavoidable
Dysreflexia by having an irritated bladder is something i deal with off and on

Overall

I'm a C/6 Quad,so my hands work poorly.I'd rather not have an indwelling,but it beats trying to cath myself all the time.

[Izziwhizzi]

zeta, on Feb 28 2007, 08:18 PM, said:

I am wondering if anyone may have had a Mitrofanoff procedure done maybe a suprapubic too. I am currently voiding spasticly messy bussiness there. My doctor gave me both choices but not sure what to do. I've done quite alot of research on both but there isn't alot of feedback on how people feel about either one. With an indwelling how do you deal with the tube dresssing/undressing, tightness of clothes or bending over do you have to be careful of crimping? I have tons of questions probably could spend hours typing them could anyone tell me how they feel about their choice pros cons anything would be helpful.

zeta

Gosh!!

Looked at the mitrofanoff procedure - and along with bladder augmentation - they look like major pieces of surgery to avoid if at all necessary!! Only from a common sense point of view

Are you male or female? You mention an indwelling - do you have a urethral cath in now? I'm female & I do, but nowadays they do spc as routine whilst it was urethral when I was injured. Many people have spc's in here and live happy lives (urology wise).

You also mention voiding? why? whats happening? whats going wrong? and dressing with a catheter in place. Can't quite understand that, as sorting out clothing with a catheter in place is no worries in comparison to having a mitrofanoff! I'm sorry, but I'm confused with what advice you actually want.

But maybe I don't understand your position fully. Let us know more.

L

[Caliente]

My daughter had a bladder aug and mitrofanoff in May and it appears to have worked very well for her. It took her a long time to decide whether to have it done or not (she's 15 now and has always been incontinent), but she is more than happy with the results. ISC wasn't an option for her before she had the bladder aug - her bladder was so tiny! It hasn't come without it's problems and isn't something you should go into lightly, but it's definitely something worth thinking about.

[alyssa]

I myself do not have a Mitrofanoff or suprapubic but when the options were explained to me I was told this...

Most people that get the mitrofanoff hate it at first but within a month think its the greastest thing they could have done, and swear by them

Suprapubics can get gooey, and messy and are a lot of matience.

Myself, I have an indwelling. As log as its not kinked [resulting in bypassing or AD] I dont mind it. I dont dress any different then I used to [jeans, dress pants, capriss] . I wouldnt reccomend wearing spandex with one though, they arent always the most discreet things.

[wheels5894]

I am for the spura-pubic catheter (SPC) and even recommend a drainage bag because; -

It saves problems looking for clean places to cath the Mitranoff
It is easy to empty a bag on the lower leg into a drain and this is less often than the Mitranoff
It is only one procedure of inserting the SPC every 10 weeks so less rick of infection if you follow the rules and keep the ssame leg bag attached for 5 days and connect a night bag to its outlet overnight
Unless the urethra ids closed, being late with the Mitranoff can mean leaks whereas SPC ensure leak free,

Infections can be a problem for some people. Some people just seem to get and keep infectioons whilst other, like me. don't pick anything up at all. mind, we change catheters at home having been taught to do it and I drink LOTS!

I suggest giving the SPC a go first since if it fails, it can be just pulled out and nothing else to do. You may need tablets to quieten the bladder down but that's no great deal.

I just noticed that alyssa claims the SPC "can get gooey, and messy and are a lot of mantenance". I wonder if this person would like to expand on thiis? The only goey I have is a bit of the insertion gell on my tum and everything else is fine.

This post has been edited by wheels5894: 13 August 2007 - 07:56 AM

[C6-JEN]

I have a SP and have never heard of a mitrofanoff, could someone explain what this is???

[wheels5894]

Yep! Mitranoff is a procedure done to make intermittent cathing easier for females. It involves making a valve to retain the urine below the naval so that the catheter can be pushed through the modified naval and past the valve to drain the urine. I gather this is much easier for females.

[Caliente]

This advice sheet from ASBAH explains the procedure quite well:

http://www.asbah.org...f_procedure.pdf

My daughter's mitrofanoff is through her belly button. There's no need to use a drainage bag, and even though it's early days and hasn't come without it's problems, it's already made a huge difference to her life. That's not to say that it would be the right option for everyone, but it has definitely been the right option for her.

[alyssa]

wheels5894, on Aug 13 2007, 03:53 AM, said:

I just noticed that alyssa claims the SPC "can get gooey, and messy and are a lot of mantenance". I wonder if this person would like to expand on thiis? The only goey I have is a bit of the insertion gell on my tum and everything else is fine.

I'm not claiming anything. This is just what I've been told by nurses and those who have them. The site gets gooey and requires a lot of cleaninG and extra maintenece. I'm just passing on things that have been told to me. I actually know nothing about them. Heh, I'm the girl that thought they were called superpubics after all...

On a plus side, I was also told they are excellent and convient for those who wish to have an active sex life.

[wheels5894]

Aha alyssa! I understand now, Well I am only one person among lots but I have justr a tiny amount of urine leak occasionally from the 'hole'. If the elastic of underwear slips on the 'hole' it seems to wick some moisture. Other than that, nothing. Some people put a pad over the hole but there s so little tp absorb it really isn't worth it.

As a male, I have to say it is possibly th only way to deal with sex though for other reasons it's a problem (levitra?) It is also quite neat just to run the tube to a bag and not have to deal with cathing every so often, though a tap can be fitted instead of the bag.

Oh, and one more thing. As I don't want to have the thing pulled out I sue a strap to hol the tubes to my leg in a safe way. Manfred Sauer offer a suitable strap and tags to achieve this and it is much better than anything else you will find.

[nobleafire]

[font=Times New Roman][i]

zeta, on Feb 28 2007, 05:18 PM, said:

I am wondering if anyone may have had a Mitrofanoff procedure done maybe a suprapubic too. I am currently voiding spasticly messy bussiness there. My doctor gave me both choices but not sure what to do. I've done quite alot of research on both but there isn't alot of feedback on how people feel about either one. With an indwelling how do you deal with the tube dresssing/undressing, tightness of clothes or bending over do you have to be careful of crimping? I have tons of questions probably could spend hours typing them could anyone tell me how they feel about their choice pros cons anything would be helpful.

zeta

Hi,
can I please ask about the "suprapubic" you mentioned? My son is going for a consultation for the mitrofanoff, and I'm not sure if I'm happy about him needing to cath, as every time we have cathed him, he has gotten multi infections... your my first person to talk to... I'm just looking for direction
Mom-Kristen

[nobleafire]

wheels5894, on Aug 13 2007, 05:30 PM, said:

Aha alyssa! I understand now, Well I am only one person among lots but I have justr a tiny amount of urine leak occasionally from the 'hole'. If the elastic of underwear slips on the 'hole' it seems to wick some moisture. Other than that, nothing. Some people put a pad over the hole but there s so little tp absorb it really isn't worth it.

As a male, I have to say it is possibly th only way to deal with sex though for other reasons it's a problem (levitra?) It is also quite neat just to run the tube to a bag and not have to deal with cathing every so often, though a tap can be fitted instead of the bag.

Oh, and one more thing. As I don't want to have the thing pulled out I sue a strap to hol the tubes to my leg in a safe way. Manfred Sauer offer a suitable strap and tags to achieve this and it is much better than anything else you will find.

You sound male , so maybe you could help me with my 12 yr old son.... I just a few mins ago posted what his "problems" are. He has spina bifida, shunt, as well as bowel and urinary issues. He can't have a bm, and can't stop urinating, to shorten it up, anyway, I am 'mom-kristen' (nobleafire is my log-in) if you'd be inclined to help

[Apparelyzed]

I'm c5/6 and have had a supra pubic catheter for 15 years without a single bladder infection.

The catheter gets changed when I sense it may be blocking off due to encrustation, which is between 6-10 weeks depending on my diet.

A dressing around the point of entry is changed every day, with a self adhesive Mepore. The tubing to my legbag is then secured to my leg with a strip of Mefix tape to stop kinking.

I think with both procedures, the key is to drink plenty to prevent infections, but with the SP catheter, you can drink like a fish, and just let the catheter drain constantly to flush out the bladder.

Regards

Simon.

[wheels5894]

Well, I can only add to Simon's reply that I have not really ever had the need to put a dressing over the entry point. There is, sometimes, a little comes out but not wrth doing anything. I am changing the catheter every 10 weeks and they could all go longer; probably best to stick to 10 though, then if something comes up and the change can#t be done a couple of weeks are left before the 12 weeks max.

Drainage bags need changing. I should have said the letg bag goes onto the catheter. A night bag can be added for extra drainage overnight by connecting the nioght bag to the outlet of the leg bag. You should only break the join on the catheter when really needed.

Unlike Simon, I use a leg strap to make sure the bag and catheter are help firmly in place. As a para I am moving around lots more, sometimes on the kitchen floor looking for things at the back of the fridge, and strain should not be put on the catheter. I get PGrip which consists of the leg strap and velcro stickies which I put around the leg bag tube and everything hold down fine. (I haven't tried it the way they show around the catheter) These are on prescription. If you give them a ring they will tell you more and send samples - the guy there is very helpful.

Anything else we can do to help? I do think there is more infection risk in ISC even by mitranof and of course bags can be empties anywhere,, almost!

This post has been edited by wheels5894: 30 August 2007 - 08:36 PM

[russ1]

My supra pubic weeps a little at times (it is after all an unhealed wound) but I can't be bothered with a dressing and it's not so much that it's a problem, clean it up with a wet wipe once a day is about all that's needed. I'm very happy with the supra pubic and with the variety of leg bags available I can go between a 450ml bag worn high up on the thigh with shorts right thro to a 1300ml bag which more often than not will last me for an entire trans atlantic flight. Generally I use a 750ml bendy bag

It's certainly easy and with a valve (I don't free drain) I can go bagless for swimming and sex :-)

I use the manfred sauer P grip but on the cath itself, my leg bags are all the direct entry type (no tube) allowing them to be worn as high up the leg as possible. Whole system works really well. The valve helps seal the system and avoid infection risk when changing legbags too. I may just be lucky but in 4 years of use I've avoided UTI's.

I was advised to change the cath every 4 weeks but usually do it every 6 or so.

[buffie]

I have a sp and I love it. I just could not deal with having my mother or my daughter trying to undress me every 6 hours trying to cath me, so I chose the sp. I wear the legbag kinda high up to be discreet when I am out in public. I was told that after a while, as I have only had mine for 8 weeks, that the tube can be capped off so the leg bag won't be needed and the tube can just be drained directly into your drainage cup or toilet. The process is also reversable if you don't like it. I haven't had a uti since getting the sp. Personally, I think it's the best decision I have made since being injured.

[EmHope]

Hi! I and some others posted about this under a similar topic found here:

http://www.apparelyzed.com/forums/index.ph...ic=3807&hl=

I am at C6 complete injury and am six years post now. I was 16 when I was injured and am now 22. I intermittently self catheterized for about three years. Then I did have the Mitrofanoff Procedure done at the University of Michigan Hospital. Actually my doctor, Dr. McGuire, invented the procedure. He tends to call it the Neo-urethra. After tons of appointments and consultations I decided to have it done. The biggest thing for me was that the second-leading cause of death in spinal cord patients is kidney failure due to infections and the lack of functioning of your bladder if you have a drainage bag attached, like with a SP. This is what made me very resistant to any type of leg bag, super-pubic, etc. My doctor was very adamant about not putting in an indwelling catheter... especially to someone so young.

This procedure was mostly due to the fact that I had hemorrhagic cystitis (bleeding in the bladder) a number of times, and due to my lack of hand function I could not get my pants up and down to self catheterized regularly. Also, my doctor was adamant about not having a drainage bag or indwelling catheter because if ever there was a cure some day down the road and people with SCI could regain function if your bladder is not working because there is a drainage bag preventing it from filing and voiding you may not be all to regain bladder function. With the Mitrofanoff Procedure your bladder still fills and empties similarly to if you had normal function.

I had the procedure done and when my doctor looked at my bladder and was deciding whether to use the appendix to make the tube to the abdomen, he decided not to use my appendix because my bladder tissue looked healthy. He just took a small piece of fasha (muscle tissue) and a small piece of the bladder it self to make the tube. This way there was no excess mucus at all by the Stoma. He created the stoma just below my underwear line so that it would not be seen when I wear a bikini. It is such a small hole that I have to use a size 10 French catheter. I think normally people use the 14 French for urethral intermittent cathing and with SP. So mine is very tiny! The surgery only took a couple of hours, and then I was only in the hospital for three days. I went home with an indwelling catheter for one week to let the blood from the surgery drain so I didn't get any blood clots. After that I could remove the indwelling catheter and begin intermittent catheterization. My bladder expands to hold a large amount of cc’s and then when I catheterize every 4 hours I do it with a size 10 French catheter right into the toilet. All I have to do is unbutton the top button of my jeans--not even take them down to cath right into the toilet. Very convenient!

I did have some leaking problems in the beginning but now I just wear a tiny pad right over the stoma. I also get Botox injections every three months to reduce the spasticity in my bladder. This is not due to the procedure, but due to the spasticity I had in my bladder before. Many people are getting botox now for spacticity.

I hope all this information helps and that you can make an educated decision about whether this procedure is for you. I am now fully independent during the day and night with my cathing. I just have a caregiver help me with my shower in the morning. I am the 22 year-old graduate student studying speech-language pathology with a very busy schedule and not a lot of time to deal with leaking or other bladder issues. This is truly given me more independence and health then I could have hoped for!

[Somebody]

EmHope, on Aug 30 2007, 10:10 PM, said:

Hi! I and some others posted about this under a similar topic found here:

http://www.apparelyzed.com/forums/index.ph...ic=3807&hl=

I am at C6 complete injury and am six years post now. I was 16 when I was injured and am now 22. I intermittently self catheterized for about three years. Then I did have the Mitrofanoff Procedure done at the University of Michigan Hospital. Actually my doctor, Dr. McGuire, invented the procedure. He tends to call it the Neo-urethra. After tons of appointments and consultations I decided to have it done. The biggest thing for me was that the second-leading cause of death in spinal cord patients is kidney failure due to infections and the lack of functioning of your bladder if you have a drainage bag attached, like with a SP. This is what made me very resistant to any type of leg bag, super-pubic, etc. My doctor was very adamant about not putting in an indwelling catheter... especially to someone so young.

This procedure was mostly due to the fact that I had hemorrhagic cystitis (bleeding in the bladder) a number of times, and due to my lack of hand function I could not get my pants up and down to self catheterized regularly. Also, my doctor was adamant about not having a drainage bag or indwelling catheter because if ever there was a cure some day down the road and people with SCI could regain function if your bladder is not working because there is a drainage bag preventing it from filing and voiding you may not be all to regain bladder function. With the Mitrofanoff Procedure your bladder still fills and empties similarly to if you had normal function.

I had the procedure done and when my doctor looked at my bladder and was deciding whether to use the appendix to make the tube to the abdomen, he decided not to use my appendix because my bladder tissue looked healthy. He just took a small piece of fasha (muscle tissue) and a small piece of the bladder it self to make the tube. This way there was no excess mucus at all by the Stoma. He created the stoma just below my underwear line so that it would not be seen when I wear a bikini. It is such a small hole that I have to use a size 10 French catheter. I think normally people use the 14 French for urethral intermittent cathing and with SP. So mine is very tiny! The surgery only took a couple of hours, and then I was only in the hospital for three days. I went home with an indwelling catheter for one week to let the blood from the surgery drain so I didn't get any blood clots. After that I could remove the indwelling catheter and begin intermittent catheterization. My bladder expands to hold a large amount of cc’s and then when I catheterize every 4 hours I do it with a size 10 French catheter right into the toilet. All I have to do is unbutton the top button of my jeans--not even take them down to cath right into the toilet. Very convenient!

I did have some leaking problems in the beginning but now I just wear a tiny pad right over the stoma. I also get Botox injections every three months to reduce the spasticity in my bladder. This is not due to the procedure, but due to the spasticity I had in my bladder before. Many people are getting botox now for spacticity.

I hope all this information helps and that you can make an educated decision about whether this procedure is for you. I am now fully independent during the day and night with my cathing. I just have a caregiver help me with my shower in the morning. I am the 22 year-old graduate student studying speech-language pathology with a very busy schedule and not a lot of time to deal with leaking or other bladder issues. This is truly given me more independence and health then I could have hoped for!

Hi, I have a sp catheter.
It sounds good, but my hands don't function.
Do your hands function normally?
Just wondering how you manage to do it.

[EmHope]

Hi, I have a sp catheter.
It sounds good, but my hands don't function.
Do your hands function normally?
Just wondering how you manage to do it.
[/quote]


I don't have any hand function at all either! It definately makes all the cathing options MUCH trickier!!! Sometimes I get jellous of paras! I adapted my pants so they unhook with a hook, not a regular button hole ( I can't button). My mom sews and put in a hook I could do my self and sewed the regular button to the outside of the pants so they look buttoned. Noone knows the difference. I also have a few hand splints that help me hold the cath and insert into the port. Really its quite easy! I have my caregiver, in the morning, hook up many caths to extention tubes so throughout the day I just use those to cath right into the tolet at home or where ever I am. I love it!

My sister and I even cathed right into tupperware descretly on an airplane when there was a delay and we were stuck a few hours on the run way. Adaptions...adaptions....adaptions!

[tmp]

hi

new here but found it by searching for information on mitrofanoff procedure.

my son was diagnosed with cancer 16 months ago, a tumour to the lower spine left him with neuropathic bladder and bowel.

he currently has a suprapubic catheter in place and has had one for approx 9 months, changed every 10-12 weeks. he wears a dressing over the site as it does get a bit gooey ( possibly slight infection but due to super bugs not taking too many antibiotics while not poorly with it ) the other problem we've had has been debris from bladder blocking the catheter, a flush usually solves the problem very easily, he does wear leg drainage bag on free flow.

recently been discussing mitrofanoff with nurses and this is possible plan after tightening of neck of bladder. we've got time to think on this as he needs an A.C.E for bowel management first..... but would be interested to know views re intermittent self cath either mitrofanoff or urethrally?

thanks in anticipation

t x

[wheels5894]

Well, I am and SPC user who migrated from ISC. The problem with the ISC I found was that timings always went wrong. I would be just too late and wet! 3 - 4 hours went towards 2- 3 hours etc, I suspect that the sphincters osen up a bit with the cathing.

Anyway, the spc and leg bag work fine for me nd give me plenty of time between emptying. On a plane, I have a 2ltr night bag in a green cloth shopping bag and can drain into that as needed quite discretely.

[Somebody]

Thanks for explaining EmHope.
Nice design your mom came up with for you.

I have 1 splint & not sure I could do it.
So it's in & out cathing from a port made in your abdomen or somewhere visible.
You insert the catheter, then drain into ?
Does it leak?

How is it better than a spc?

Welcome to the board tmp.
Sorry to hear about your son.
I hope he's adjusting well.
Sorry I know nothing about A.C.E.
Why not a suppository instead of surgery?

Wheels what is ISC?
sorry new here

[xeena]

Somebody, on Sep 2 2007, 04:45 PM, said:

Thanks for explaining EmHope.
Nice design your mom came up with for you.

I have 1 splint & not sure I could do it.
So it's in & out cathing from a port made in your abdomen or somewhere visible.
You insert the catheter, then drain into ?
Does it leak?

How is it better than a spc?

Welcome to the board tmp.
Sorry to hear about your son.
I hope he's adjusting well.
Sorry I know nothing about A.C.E.
Why not a suppository instead of surgery?

Wheels what is ISC?
sorry new here

ISC- Intermittent Self Catheterisation

[tmp]

hi somebody and ty for the support

we've been trying the suppositry's for a couple of months ( bisacodyl ) and although they work quite well it's an embarrassing procedure and my son would like something he could do easily himself once set up.... A.C.E is like a little belly button on the side of the abdomen using the appendix to create the tube, you insert a catheter and flush through with approx a litre of warm salt water over a period of 10 mins, my son will be able to control the flow with a little hand held device... it empties the bowel totally from one end to the other so reducing even further the chance of an accident. this is done daily at first then working on the individual response can be done every 2 or 3 days after that...... i think the whole thing takes 30-45 mins and you have to sit on loo whole time so thinking of having tv installed in bathroom lol. i tell you what i have been grateful for and that is the clos-o-mat loo we had installed a few year back for my daughter who was born with spinal deformities including 2 spinal cords and tethering at base of the spine. we had loo intalled when she had scoliois correction surgery.

[Nick's mum]

Cons with supra pubic caths.

Changing it has to be done quickly so always have the next size down available.

Nick ended up in A & E on the 1st of August as he suffers from over granulation at spc site and catheter got stuck. District nurse tried to remove it and had to call our GP that came straight away. He tried without success and proceded to call an ambulance.

Luckily there was a doctor in A & E that was spinally trained and so very aware of other problems like AD etc. She changed it without any major problems and Nick could return home.

It turns out that the catheter became stuck as there had been some trauma to the bladder during the last change (the 1st after the op).

I am also having to change Nick's bed bag at about 04.30 as the largest capacity bag we have found is only 2.6 liters. If I don't change it the bladder gets overfull and overflows the ordinary way!!!

Nick's kidneys don't work very well when he sits up and works overtime in bed at night.

Pros: No trauma to the penis and you can find some really good legbags.

Regards, Ulla xxx

[wheels5894]

Sounds like a bit of fun with the catheter! usually things settle down quite well and become easier with changing. you could ask if some of the granulation could be reduced. i think there is a silver compound that can be used if granulation is a problem.

This thread is getting to the point at which we are seeing some people for whom an SPC is no problem at all whilst others have a lot of trouble. I wonder if a reason could be found. Drinking seems to be a way of avoiding problems as, or course, very dilute urine doesn't produce incrustation or stones and doesn't really let bacteria grow either.

Just a thought, Ulla. Is Nick keeping the leg bag in place and having the night bag connected to it? If you are not doing that, I recommend you do for infection protection etc. If a 2.6 litre and a leg bag are not enough, why not connect a 2nd 2 litre bag to the first and so let the urine run into 2 bags. You need something to get a full night's sleep.

Robert

[russ1]

Nick's mum, on Sep 3 2007, 12:21 PM, said:

Cons with supra pubic caths.

Changing it has to be done quickly so always have the next size down available.

Nick ended up in A & E on the 1st of August as he suffers from over granulation at spc site and catheter got stuck.

That's an odd one, I get over granulation and have never had an issue with getting caths stuck, Wheels is right though - silver nitrate sticks are the answer, they burn away the over granulation pretty effectively. You just need to be a bit brave and really go for it with the stick and not be too cautious. It keeps coming back every few months but it's now a non issue, at first though there were dressings and little dabs with the nitrate sticks and it'd take weeks to settle down, nowdays it only takes me a couple of days to sort it out.

Quote

I am also having to change Nick's bed bag at about 04.30 as the largest capacity bag we have found is only 2.6 liters. If I don't change it the bladder gets overfull and overflows the ordinary way!!!

Nick's kidneys don't work very well when he sits up and works overtime in bed at night.

Mine (kidneys) do that too, my friends on intermittents (with lower level injuries) find it very odd that I can spend the entire evening in the pub drinking pints and never need to go to the loo. (Useful if there's a lack of accessible facilities) It's down to low blood pressure apparently and isn't uncommon in higher level injuries). It does improve as your body learns to cope with your SCI but doesn't go away (or at least hasn't with me). Again wheels advice to daisy chain the night bags is good advice as is not taking off the leg bag at night.

[EmHope]

Somebody, on Sep 2 2007, 11:45 AM, said:

Thanks for explaining EmHope.
Nice design your mom came up with for you.

I have 1 splint & not sure I could do it.
So it's in & out cathing from a port made in your abdomen or somewhere visible.
You insert the catheter, then drain into ?
Does it leak?

How is it better than a spc?

Welcome to the board tmp.
Sorry to hear about your son.
I hope he's adjusting well.
Sorry I know nothing about A.C.E.
Why not a suppository instead of surgery?

Wheels what is ISC?
sorry new here

Yea ...my port that I cath intermittently is right bellow my underwear so I can still wear a bikini. Every couple hours (3-4hrs.) I insert a 10 french catheter connected to an extention tube so it can drain directly into the toilet--any toilet at home or out. If I'm out and can't get super close to the public toilet ... no problem ...I just need to get the extention tube to reach.

At night...I can just cath before I go to bed and be ok throughout the night to just cath again in the morning.

The port/stoma leaks a few drips if my bladder is super full. Like if there are over 400 cc's in my bladder a few drips will leak. I just wear a little pad right over the port and don't have any problems, just toss the pad if it gets a tiny bit on it.

I truly think this approach is much better than the super pubic option for a couple reasons. First of all, I don't have a bag of urin attached to me or a tube in my bladder at all times. Secondly, My bladder is still functioning by filling and voiding unlike a deflated bladder with a SP. Third, my bladder could go back to functioning normally if I were to ever regain function through some future breakthrough.

This post has been edited by EmHope: 03 September 2007 - 09:22 PM

[russ1]

EmHope, on Sep 3 2007, 10:19 PM, said:

I truly think this approach is much better than the super pubic option for a couple reasons. First of all, I don't have a bag of urin attached to me or a tube in my bladder at all times. Secondly, My bladder is still functioning by filling and voiding unlike a deflated bladder with a SP. Third, my bladder could go back to functioning normally if I were to ever regain function through some future breakthrough.

First reason is valid although only partly so as no need to have a bag attached if you don't want one with a SPC (although it's bloomin convenient at times) and IMHO permanent catheter is offset by surgery necessary for Mitranhoff. Second and Third aren't valid as if used with a catheter valve then bladder doesn't stay deflated but fills and is emptied as normal which means that normal functioning is possible if function is regained but in this case without the necessary surgery to undo the Mitranhoff procedure.