CYSTOSCOPY

Why do I need a cystoscopy?

There are many reasons for performing a cystoscopy on a patient. Some of these may include:

• Difficulty urinating
• Incontinence
• Recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Haematuria (blood in the urine)
• Surveillance for bladder tumours

Flexible cystoscopy

A flexible cystoscope is a small version of a cystoscope that may be performed in an awake patient with local anaesthetic gel. The telescope is flexible and may be manoeuvered around corners by the surgeon. It is a diagnostic tool purely for looking in the bladder. It is generally not too uncomfortable and only takes a minute or two to complete.

Rigid cystoscopy

This is a much larger telescope that is only used in anaesthetised patients. The advantage of a rigid cystoscope is that it is wide enough to allow surgical instruments into the bladder to perform procedures such as a bladder biopsy, or removal of a bladder tumour.

After my cystoscopy

You may experience some burning and stinging during urination. This is self limiting and usually resolves after a day or two. Keeping up a good fluid intake will dilute your urine and decrease these symptoms. There may also be a small amount of blood in your urine but this is generally harmless.

Occasionally, having a cystoscopy may cause a urinary infection. If your symptoms of burning and stinging persist, or if you feel unwell, please contact your doctor or let us know.