Cystoscopy
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What is the
test?
Cystoscopy enables your doctor to take a direct
look inside your bladder through a small camera
inserted through the urethra. It is a common
test used to look for causes of bleeding in the
urine and some other bladder problems.
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How
do I prepare for the test?
Tell your doctor ahead of time if you have ever
had an allergic reaction to lidocaine or the
numbing medicine used at the dentist's office.
If you take aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs, or other medicines that affect blood clotting,
talk with your doctor. It may be necessary to
stop or adjust the dose of these medicines before
your test.
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What
happens when the test is performed?
You wear a hospital gown for the test and lie
on your back on a table with your knees bent
and your feet in footrests. The opening to your
urethra (at the end of the penis or the outside
of the vagina) and the skin around it is cleaned
with soap. Most patients then have a squirt or
two of a jelly-like numbing medicine pushed inside
the opening of the urethra with a plastic syringe.
This makes it possible to insert the camera without
causing discomfort.
A tubular instrument called a cystoscope, which
is about the width of a pencil, is pushed inside
the urethra and moved forward until its end is
inside the bladder. Clear fluid (saltwater) is
pumped through this tube into your bladder to
expand it, so that your doctor can see the inside
of the bladder clearly. You may feel some fullness
from this fluid and experience the urge to urinate.
There is a small light and a very small camera
on the end of the cystoscope, which enable your
doctor to view the inside of your bladder on
a TV screen. The end of the scope can be moved
in different directions with remote control,
to show all parts of the bladder.
The test takes about five minutes from the time
that the camera is inserted. Then the camera
is pulled out and you are free to use the bathroom.
If you are going to have a biopsy done during
this test, you might require some additional
anesthesia. Your doctor will discuss your need
for a biopsy with you before the test.
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What
risks are there from the test?
Most patients will have some burning or soreness
in their urethra, penis, or vagina after the
test for a short time. It is common to see some
blood in the urine for 24 to 48 hours after the
exam.
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Must
I do anything special after the test is over?
You should call your doctor if you have persistent
bleeding, bleeding with clots, or a fever after
this test.
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How
long is it before the result of the test is
known?
Your doctor can tell you what was seen inside
your bladder right after the test. If you have
a biopsy sample taken, analysis will take several
days.
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