Deion Sanders, a 57-year-old former NFL player and current University of Colorado coach, has undergone reconstructive surgery to treat bladder cancer. The procedure, called neobladder reconstruction, uses tissue from the patient’s own small intestine.
Surgeons at Johns Hopkins University removed the old bladder, cut out about a foot and a half from the ileum, folded it in half, and sewed it into place. The result resembles a volleyball covered in sutures.
The surgeon, Dr. Janet Kukreja, performed the surgery robotically with a laparoscopic camera, requiring small incisions. This method eliminates the need for immunosuppressant medications, as the neobladder is created from the body’s own tissue.
Dr. Jodi Maranchie, a surgical urologic oncologist at UPMC in Pittsburgh, noted that patients with neobladders often experience leakage while sleeping. However, with training and gradual increase in interval between bathroom visits, they can learn to control their bladder during the day.
Deion Sanders recently spoke about his experience during a press conference, jokingly saying he now “depends on the Depends.” He emphasized the importance of getting checked for cancer, sharing that if he hadn’t gone in for an annual checkup, things might have turned out differently.
Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/08/02/nx-s1-5490475/neobladder-bladder-reconstruction-deion-sanders-cancer