Are you looking for more information about bladder exstrophy? Then you’ve come to the right place. At 180 Medical, we understand the importance of providing you with accurate information, which enables you to make educated decisions about the products and resources you may need for your or your child’s well-being.
In this article, you’ll discover what bladder exstrophy is and its potential causes and treatment options. Plus, we’ll go over how using a catheter may help.
What is Bladder Exstrophy?
Bladder exstrophy is an anatomical anomaly during fetal development where the bladder (and surrounding parts) develop outside of the body. The term exstrophy means “inside out.”
This condition falls under a broader sector of congenital disabilities involving the urinary region (bladder, pelvic bone, and lower abdominals). This larger group of congenital disabilities is known as the Bladder Exstrophy-Epispadias Complex.
Currently, researchers don’t have enough data to point to concrete reasons why this condition happens. However, here’s what medical professionals do know.
- It’s a rare condition, which occurs in approximately 1 out of every 40,000 births
- It’s slightly more common in males than females
- Genetic history of this condition may increase the risk
Treatment Options
Children born with bladder exstrophy will have to undergo reconstructive surgery to repair and close the bladder. Plus, a doctor may also have to perform surgery to repair and close the urethra or reset pelvic bones while ensuring that the internal organs are enclosed within the abdomen.
In many cases, the surgery process can take years to finish. While a child born with bladder exstrophy may face a difficult road ahead at times, as a parent or caregiver, you have options to help make living with this condition easier.
For example, 180 Medical offers in-depth information to learn how to catheterize your child. Plus, we can help provide high-quality catheter supplies in a wide variety of types, lengths, and sizes — even catheters for newborns! Also, we offer resources like the 180 Medical Kids Club, which helps children learn how to catheterize on their own once they’re old enough.
How Catheters Can Help With Bladder Exstrophy
Since one of the symptoms associated with bladder exstrophy is the inability to empty the bladder, using a catheter is an effective solution to the issue.
If using a catheter through a stoma, straight tip catheters are often the best choice. However, when cathing through the urethra, discovering which one may be right for you is a little broader.
Here at 180 Medical, we carry a wide array of catheter supplies to suit all kinds of needs, conditions, and preferences. We also have specialists that can help you determine which catheter may be right for you to use.
Resources for Parents of Children with Bladder Exstrophy
If you’re a parent with a child born with bladder exstrophy, you have more options for helpful resources as you navigate this new and unexpected journey.
We can confidently recommend this helpful, downloadable Bladder Exstrophy Handbook, which Boston Children’s Hospital provides.
In addition, you may find more help and information at aBEc (Association for the Bladder Exstrophy Community), including videos and links to online support groups.
180 Medical can also be a valuable resource for you, especially regarding insurance-covered catheters and incontinence supplies. We’ll help you customize an order that’s just right for your little one, and we can be a source of support and help as your child grows. Do you have questions about what type of catheter to use for your child with bladder exstrophy? Want to try some free pediatric catheter samples? Just reach out and contact us today. We’re ready to help!
