Bladder exstrophy
Bladder exstrophy is a condition where a baby is born with an open bladder that has come out of the body instead of being tucked inside. This means that the bladder is exposed to the air and not protected like it normally is.
Let's pretend you have a balloon inside your belly that holds all the pee your body makes. But in babies with bladder exstrophy, that balloon pops out through their tummy button and is all exposed. It can look like the baby's belly is split open and the balloon is just hanging there.
When babies have bladder exstrophy, they need surgery to put the balloon back inside the body and to close the gap in their belly. The surgery usually happens soon after the baby is born, but sometimes the doctors might wait a bit so that the baby can grow a bit bigger.
After the surgery, the baby might need to use a tube called a catheter to pee because their bladder muscles might not work well enough yet. The baby might need to keep using the catheter for a while until their bladder muscles get stronger.
Some kids with bladder exstrophy might also need more surgeries as they grow up to fix any other problems that might come up. But with the help of doctors and their family, kids with bladder exstrophy can lead normal, happy lives.
Let's pretend you have a balloon inside your belly that holds all the pee your body makes. But in babies with bladder exstrophy, that balloon pops out through their tummy button and is all exposed. It can look like the baby's belly is split open and the balloon is just hanging there.
When babies have bladder exstrophy, they need surgery to put the balloon back inside the body and to close the gap in their belly. The surgery usually happens soon after the baby is born, but sometimes the doctors might wait a bit so that the baby can grow a bit bigger.
After the surgery, the baby might need to use a tube called a catheter to pee because their bladder muscles might not work well enough yet. The baby might need to keep using the catheter for a while until their bladder muscles get stronger.
Some kids with bladder exstrophy might also need more surgeries as they grow up to fix any other problems that might come up. But with the help of doctors and their family, kids with bladder exstrophy can lead normal, happy lives.