Surgery For Bladder Control Problems In Women in Maltese

Many women leak urine or wet themselves when they cough, sneeze or exercise (this is called stress incontinence). While there are many treatments to try first, some women need to have surgery for this problem.

Ħafna nisa jqattru ammonti żgħar ta’ awrina jew ipixxu taħthom meta jisgħolu, jgћattsu jew jagħmlu eżerċizzju (dan hu magħruf bħala inkontinenza kaġunata mill-istress). Għalkemm hemm ħafna metodi ta’ kura li tista’ tipprova qabel, xi nisa jkollhom bżonn operazzjoni għal din il-problema.

What causes bladder control problems?

Bladder control problems are mainly caused by damage to pelvic floor muscles and the tissues that support them.

The floor of the pelvis is made up of layers of muscle and other tissues. These layers stretch like a hammock around the bladder and vagina from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone in front. The pelvic floor muscles do a number of things, such as:

• help to close off the bladder, the vagina (front passage) and the rectum (back passage); and
• help to hold the bladder, the uterus (womb) and bowel in their proper place.

You can find out more about the pelvic floor muscles in the leaflet ”One in Three Women Who Ever Had a Baby Wet Themselves”. Bladder control problems can start when the pelvic floor muscles are made weaker by:

• not keeping the muscles active;
• being pregnant and giving birth;
• constipation;
• being overweight;
• heavy lifting;
• coughing that goes on for a long time (such as smoker’s cough or asthma); or
• growing older.

X’jikkawża problemi tal-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina?

Il-problemi tal-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina jiġru principalment minħabba ħsara fil-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi u t-tessuti li jissapportjawhom.

Il-qiegħ tal-pelvi hu magħmul minn saffi ta’ muskoli u tessuti oħra. Dawn is-saffi jiġġebdu bħal branda madwar il-bużżieqa tal-awrina u l-vaġina mid-denb tas-sinsla fid-dahar sal-għadma pubika fuq quddiem. Il-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi jagħmlu numru ta’ affarijiet, bħal ma huma:

• jgħinu jagħlqu l-bużżieqa tal-awrina, l-vaġina (ll--passaġġ ta’ quddiem) u r-rektum (il-passaġġ ta’ wara); u
• jgħinu jżommu l-bużżieqa tal-awrina, l-uteru (l-ġuf) u l-imsaren fejn suppost.

Int tista’ ssib aktar tagħrif dwar il-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi fil-fuljett “Waħda minn Kull Tliet Nisa Li Qatt Welldu Tpixxi Taħtha”. Il-problemi tal-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina jistgħu jibdew meta l-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi jiddgħajfu għax:

• ma żżommx il-muskoli attivi;
• tkun tqila u twelled;
• kostipazzjoni;
• tkun tiżen aktar milli suppost;
• irfigħ ta’ affarijiet tqal;
• tisgħol għal ħin twil (bħal ngħidu aħna sogħla bħal ta’ min ipejjep, jew ażżma); jew
• tibda tikber fl-età.

How can bladder control problems be treated?

The good news is that most women can control their bladder better by making their pelvic floor muscles stronger through training. The leaflet “Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Women” tells you how. Your doctor, physiotherapist, or continence nurse advisor will also be able to help.

Kif jistgħu jiġu kkurati l-problemi tal-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina?

L-aħbar t-tajba hi li l-biċċa l-kbira tan-nisa jistgħu jikkontrollaw il-bużżieqa tal-awrina tagħhom aħjar billi jsaħħu l-muskoli tal-qiegħ tal-pelvi tagħhom permezz tal-eżerċizzju. Il-fuljett “Eżerċizzju tal-Muskolu tal-Qiegħ tal-Pelvi għan-Nisa” jgħidlek kif. It-tabib, il-fiżjoterapista jew il-konsulenta ners tiegħek tal-kontinenza jistgħu wkoll jgħinuk.

When is surgery needed?

For a small number of women the more simple methods can fail to help with bladder control, and leaking urine can make day to day life difficult. In these cases surgery may be needed. Surgery should never be a first choice. All surgery has risks. You must discuss these risks with your surgeon.

Meta jkun hemm bżonn issir operazzjoni?

Fil-każ ta’ numru żgћir ta’ nisa, il-metodi l-aktar sempliċi jistgħu ma jirnexxilhomx jgħinu l-kontroll tal-bużżieqa tal-awrina, u tqattir ta’ ammonti żgħar ta’ awrina jistgħu jagħmlu l-ħajja ta’ kuljum iebsa. F’dawn il-każi jista’ jkun hemm bżonn li ssir operazzjoni. L-operazzoni qatt m’għandha tkun l-ewwel għażla. L-operazzjonijiet kollha għandhom riskju. Int għandek tiddiskuti dawn ir-riskji mal-professur tiegħek.

What should you ask your surgeon?

Before agreeing to surgery, you should talk about it fully with your surgeon. Make a list of questions that you want to ask. These could cover:

• why this type of surgery has been chosen for you;
• how well will it work;
• what are the details of the surgery;
• what are the problems that could occur, both short and long term;
• what sort of scar will be left, what sort of pain will you have;
• how much time off work will you need to take;
• how much will it cost; and
• how long will the effects last?

X’għandek tistaqsi lill-professur tiegħek?

Qabel ma taqbel li tagħmel operazzjoni, int għandek titkellem dwarha mal-professur tiegħek u semmi kollox. Agħmel lista ta’ mistoqsijiet li tixtieq tistaqsi. Dawn jistgħu jkopru:

• għala din it-tip ta’ operazzjoni ġiet magħżula fil-każ tiegħi;
• kemm ser tirnexxi;
• x’inhuma id-dettalji tal-operazzjoni;
• x’inhuma l-problemi li jistgħu jinqalgħu, kemm fuq firxa ta’ żmien qasir u firxa ta’ żmien twil;
• x’tip ta’ merk ta’ ġerħa ser jibqa’, x’tip ta’ uġigħ ser ikollok;
• kemm ser ikollok bżonn tieħu żmien ta’ mistrieħ mix-xogħol;
• kemm ser tiswa; u
• kemm ser idumu l-effetti?

Seek help

Qualified nurses are available if you call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66* (Monday to Friday, between 8.00am to 8.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time) for free:

• Information;
• Advice; and
• Leaflets.

If you have difficulty speaking or understanding English you can access the Helpline through the free Telephone Interpreter Service on 13 14 50. The phone will be answered in English, so please name the language you speak and wait on the phone. You will be connected to an interpreter who speaks your language. Tell the interpreter you wish to call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66. Wait on the phone to be connected and the interpreter will assist you to speak with a continence nurse advisor. All calls are confidential.

* Calls from mobile telephones are charged at applicable rates.

Itlob l-għajnuna

Hemm nersis ikkwalifikati jekk iċċempel lin-National Continence Helpline fuq 1800 33 00 66* (mit-Tnejn sal-Ġimgħa, bejn it-8.00am to 8.00pm AEST (Ħin Standard tal-Lvant tal-Awstralja)) mingħajr ħlas:

• Informazzjoni;
• Pariri; u
• Fuljetti.

Jekk ikollok diffikulta’ biex titkellem jew biex tifhem bl-Ingliż jista’ jkollok aċċess għall-Helpline permezz tat-Telephone Interpreter Service fuq 13 14 50 b’xejn. It-telefon ikun imwieġeb bl-Ingliż, għalhekk għid liema lingwa titkellem u stenna fuq it-telefon. Tkun ikkonnettjat/a ma’ interpretu li jitkellem il-lingwa tiegħek. Għid lill-interpretu li tixtieq li ċċempel lin-National Continence Helpline fuq 1800 33 00 66. Stenna fuq it-telefon biex tkun ikkonnettjat/a u l-interpretu jgħinek biex titkellem ma’ ners li tagħti pariri dwar il-kontinenza. It-telefonati kollha huma konfidenzjali.

* Telefonati minn fuq telefonijiet mowbajl ikunu ċċarġjati r-rati li japplikaw.