Surgery is required in cases of nonresponse to standard therapeutic procedures and high levels of distress:
- Coagulation (fulguration)/laser destruction.
- Procedure: If Hunner lesions are detected, they can be coagulated or destroyed by laser.
- Benefit:
- Over 90% of patients experience symptom relief for one to three years as a result. However, recurrence of lesions is to be expected in the long-term course (in ≤ 46%).
- Cystectomy (bladder resection) followed by bladder augmentation (bladder enlargement).
- Applied techniques:
- Trigonum-conserving cystectomy
- Supratrigonal cystectomy
- Subtrigonal cystectomy
- Indication: “ultima ratio” (last option after resistance to therapy).
- Benefit:
- Best results regarding pain reduction, reduction of urinary urgency and ultimately improvement of quality of life.
- Disadvantage:
- Rich in complications
- Applied techniques:
See, among other things, “Further therapy/conventional methods”.
