Cystoscopy

What Is a Cystoscopy?

Joseph Bennington-Castro
By Medically Reviewed by 
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Medically Reviewed

Cystoscopies allow doctors to identify issues with the urinary tract.

A cystoscopy is a medical procedure to examine the inside of the bladder and urethra.

It's performed using a cystoscope, a long, thin instrument with a camera and light at the end.

Cystoscopes may be flexible or rigid. Rigid cystoscopes contain extra channels that allow small instruments to be passed through for the diagnosis and treatment of urinary problems.

Cystoscopy Procedure

Cystoscopies are conducted under anesthetics (numbing agents).

If a flexible cystoscope is used, only a local anesthetic applied to your urethra is necessary.

General anesthetics, which make you unconscious and unable to feel pain, are usually used for rigid cystoscopes.

After anesthetic is applied, the cystoscope will be lubricated with a special gel and inserted slowly into your urethra.

It will then be pushed up your urinary tract and into your bladder.

Sterile water will then be pumped through the cystoscope and into your bladder, slowly filling it.

As this happens, you will need to describe what you're feeling, providing useful information about your condition.

The fluid also stretches your bladder wall, giving your doctor a better view inside.

When your bladder is full, you will feel the need to urinate, which you can only do once the cystoscope is removed.

Because of the anesthetic, the procedure, which takes 5 to 20 minutes, will not be painful, though it may be uncomfortable.

Your doctor may prescribe you an antibiotic after the procedure to reduce your risk of infection from the cystoscopy.

Cystoscopy Uses

A cystoscopy can help identify the cause of numerous urinary tract symptoms, such as:

It can also be used to investigate the cause of unusual cells that show up in urine tests.

Additionally, a cystoscopy can help detect or monitor a known or suspected urinary tract condition, including:

By inserting special instruments into a rigid cystoscope, urologists can remove urinary tract stones, conduct bladder biopsies, and obtain urine samples from the ureters (urine tubes connecting the kidneys and bladder) for diagnostic measures.

They can also use cystoscopes to insert a stent into a narrowed ureter to improve urine flow, or inject medications or special dyes (for use during diagnostic X-rays).