Cystoscopy
The other name for Cystoscopy is Cystourethroscopy, which is a common procedure that allows the urologist to observe in detail the inside part f the urethra and bladder. In 2014, an overall number of 173551 women (14.8 million) and 286090 men (11.5 million) men underwent this process.
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Everything you need to know about Cystoscopy
What is it?
According to the diagnostic technique, Cystoscopy is a screening process that helps identify the lining of the bladder and urinary problems, including bladder tumors, cancer, stone, pelvic pain, and many more. This is the most common form of surgery performed by the urologic surgeon.
This screening further allows the urologist or the urinary tract specialist to obtain direct visualization of the urethral, urethra, bladder, urethral orifices, sphincter, and prostate with the help of various tools. Normally these are performed with the help of the hollow tube, also commonly known as the cystoscope, which holds a camera or viewing lenses in the end and provides magnified images of the inside parts.
Normally there are two types of Cystoscopies that include the following:
- Flexible – These are performed with the help of the bendable scopes to witness the inside condition of the urethra and bladder to further perform the diagnosis.
- Rigid – These are times when the scope does not bend. These are performed by doctors where they can pass instruments inside the tube, and normally biopsies and removal of tumors are performed by this.
Why is it needed?
Normally the cystoscopies are performed to monitor, diagnose, and treat conditions in the inside part of the body called the bladder and urethra. These are further required under the following conditions:
- Diagnose the bladder diseases and conditions: These can find out the bladder problems and diseases including bladder stone, cancer, and inflammation, commonly called cystitis. These are performed so that the urologist can identify the precise reason they can further organize the diagnosis.
- Investigate causes of signs and symptoms: Sometimes, a person can have severe signs and symptoms from something serious, including incontinence, urine, painful urination, and overactive bladder. These need to be diagnosed so that the individuals can enjoy a healthy life and can prevent the problems.
Apart from this, these can also find out the cause of severe urinary tract infections. Nevertheless, this is not performed when you contain an active infection in the urinary tract.
- Diagnosing an enlarged prostate: This process can be performed to narrow the urethra, which further passes through the prostate gland. This is also further known as the enlarged effects of the prostate.
- Treat bladder diseases and conditions: Sometimes, several tools are passed with the help of the process to diagnose some critical conditions. For instance, small bladder tumors can be removed with the help of this process.
Procedure
The process of cystoscopy is not daunting; however, in the first stage, you visit the bathroom and collect the urine so that your bladder gets empty and further steps can be performed. To continue the process, you will wear a surgical gown and lie down on the treatment table. At this time, the feet of the position should have to be in the stirrup position. Then the nurse will provide you with some antibiotics medications to prevent the infection of the bladder.
Then you have to undergo the anesthesia process, where, if you receive the general anesthesia, you will be conscious once you wake up. If you are provided with local or regional anesthesia, you will also be provided with some sedatives to relax your body. Furthermore, with the help of the anesthesia spray or gel, your urethra will get numbed, and you can feel nothing over that area for some time. The gel is used to make the process less painful. The doctor will further lubricate the scope with the gel and slowly insert it inside the urethra. Sometimes, it gives a burning sensation, whereas sometimes it feels like urinating.
In addition, in the case of the investigatory process, the urologist opts for the flexible scope, whereas the biopsies or other surgical process requires a thicker and rigid scope. The positive side of the bigger scope is it allows instruments to pass through it.
The doctor then looks through the viewing lenses after the scope inside the bladder. A sterile solution is also provided to flood the bladder and make it highly convenient for the doctor to visualize things. This solution can further provide a feeling of urinating in your body.
With the help of local anesthesia, this process can take less than 5 minutes. However, in general, or sedative anesthesia took 15-30 minutes to be performed.
Conclusion
Cystoscopy is a very common process that can demand a highly qualified urologist and can be performed in both a high-tech laboratory environment and the local lab. This is important as it helps to identify serious conditions that can worsen in due course of time.