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Cystoscopy

Cystoscopy is used to diagnose, monitor and treat conditions affecting the bladder and urethra.
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Women's HealthCare Dothan, AL Urinary Incontinence

Definition

Cystoscopy is a procedure a doctor uses to look at the inside of the bladder and urethra (the tube that connects the bladder to the outside of the body). A thin hollow tube called a cystoscope equipped with a lens is inserted into your urethra and slowly advanced into your bladder. Cystoscopy allows your doctor to examine the lining of your bladder and urethra.

Why is this procedure performed?

Your doctor might recommend cystoscopy to:

Investigate Symptoms
This test can be used to investigate the causes of signs or symptoms in the bladder (such as blood in the urine, incontinence, overactive bladder and painful urination), or to look at an abnormal area seen on an imaging test (such as a CT scan).

Cancer Screening
If you have had bladder cancer, it might also be used to look for new tumors. Cystoscopy can be used to take biopsy samples from the bladder or urethra (to find out if an abnormal area is cancer, for example).

Treatments
Carry out treatments, such as removing bladder stones, inserting or removing a stent (a small tube used to treat blockages), and injecting medicine into the bladder.

Types of Cystoscopies

There are two types of cystoscopies. Your healthcare provider will use the one that works best for your specific procedure.

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Rigid

These cystoscopes donโ€™t bend. Your doctor may pass instruments through the tube to perform biopsies or remove tumors.
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Flexible

Your doctor may use a bendable scope to examine the inside of the bladder and urethra and make a diagnosis.

Additional Resources

Learn more from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
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