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D
DiabetesCystoscopy
Introduction
A cystoscopy is a medical procedure used to look inside your bladder. According to Department of Health figures, seven per cent of adult men and 13 per cent of women have bladder problems, with many of those affected experiencing difficulties at least once a week. If you have a bladder problem, your doctor may advise you to have a procedure called a cystoscopy.
- Why do I need a cystoscopy?
- What does it look for?
- Can I go straight home afterwards?
- When will I know the results?
- Are there any side effects?
A cystoscopy will help your doctor diagnose what might be causing your bladder problem, and in some cases the test will also be used to take a biopsy (tissue sample) or carry out another type of surgical procedure.
There are two main types:
- Flexible cystoscopy
- Rigid cystoscopy
Each procedure uses an instrument called a cystoscope, which is a long, thin, telescope-like device that's passed through the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body) into your bladder.
A flexible cystoscope can bend around corners. It uses special fibre optics that send pictures of the inside of your urethra and bladder to a monitor.
A rigid cystoscope, on the other hand, does not bend. It is used less frequently than a flexible cystoscope for diagnostic purposes, but may be used to perform surgery, as it can guide other instruments into the bladder.
Why do I need a cystoscopy?
A cystoscopy is recommended for the diagnosis of several different bladder problems, including blood in the urine, recurrent or severe urinary tract infections, overactive bladder, bladder incontinence, interstitial cystitis (pain and discomfort in the bladder and pelvis) and pain or difficulty on passing water.
If unusual cells have been found in your urine sample, you may need a cystoscopy find out what the cause could be.
A cystoscopy may also be used to diagnose and monitor bladder or kidney cancer as well as non-cancerous growths called polyps, plus problems with the ureters (tubes that link the kidneys to the bladder).
You may also need a cystoscopy as part of a surgical procedure, such as a tissue biopsy or the removal of a polyps or a tumour from the bladder.
What does it look for?
A cystoscopy allows your doctor to examine the wall of your bladder and your urethra for the presence of polyps and other abnormal growths, including an enlarged prostate, as well as stones in the bladder and the urinary tract. It may also detect a narrowed urethra, which can cause problems passing urine.
What happens during a cystoscopy?
If a cystoscopy is being performed simply to examine the inside of your bladder, the procedure lasts from five to ten minutes and involves using a local anaesthetic gel, which means you will be awake while it's happening.
Once the anaesthetic gel has numbed the opening of the urethra, the doctor will slowly and carefully guide the cystoscope through the urethra and into the bladder.
A solution of sterile salt water (saline) is then passed through the cystoscope and into your bladder – this stretches the bladder wall and helps the doctor spot any problems more easily. As your bladder fills up, however, you may feel the urge to go to the toilet.
Once your doctor has finished examining your bladder and has taken any necessary samples (biopsies), the cystoscope is removed.
If you're having a rigid cystoscopy as part of a surgical procedure you may need a general anaesthetic, which means you'll be asleep during the operation.
Can I go straight home afterwards?
There's no need for an overnight stay in hospital unless you've had a general anaesthetic – and even then, it may depend on the time of day you had the cystoscopy (if you had it first thing in the morning, for instance, you may be allowed home the same evening).
If you had surgery during the cystoscopy, you may need an overnight stay or longer, depending on how quickly you recover.
When will I know the results?
If you had a local anaesthetic, your doctor may discuss any problems that were visible on the monitor immediately after the cystoscopy has finished.
If anything abnormal was spotted, the doctor may have taken a tissue sample (biopsy) during the procedure and sent it off to the lab to be analysed. You may not get the results of the biopsy for several days or more.
Are there any side effects?
For a few days afterwards you may feel discomfort or a burning sensation
when you go to the toilet and you may also spot some blood in your urine. This
is perfectly normal.
However, if these symptoms persist, or you feel unwell or have a temperature,
it may be a sign that you have a urinary infection. If so, tell your GP, who
can give you antibiotics to treat the infection.
Very rarely, a cystoscopy can puncture the urethra or bladder, though this is usually easily treated at the time or at a later date. Scar tissue forming in the urethra can also be a complication that creates difficulties during urination, but again this can usually be corrected.
Clickthrough information and support links:
Continence Foundation
British Urological
Foundation
References:This article has been written for PruHealth by Dr Foster Research. All Dr Foster Research (DFR) health content is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional.
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