Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy

• What is cystoscopy and ureteroscopy? What equipment is used, and how are the procedures performed?
• How do I prepare for the exam?
• How long will the bladder test take?
• What are side effects of the procedure? What is the recovery time for cystoscopy and ureteroscopy?
• Where can I find more information about cystoscopy and ureteroscopy?

Introduction to cystoscopy and ureteroscopy

When you have a urinary problem, your doctor may use a cystoscope to see inside your bladder and urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. The cystoscope has lenses like a telescope or microscope. These lenses let the doctor focus on the inner surfaces of the urinary tract. Some cystoscopes use optical fibers (flexible glass fibers) that carry an image from the tip of the instrument to a viewing piece at the other end. The cystoscope is as thin as a pencil and has a light at the tip. Many cystoscopes have extra tubes to guide other instruments for procedures to treat urinary problems.

Your doctor may recommend cystoscopy for any of the following conditions:

• frequent urinary tract infections



• blood in your urine (hematuria)



• loss of bladder control (incontinence) or overactive bladder



• unusual cells found in urine sample



• need for a bladder catheter



• painful urination, chronic pelvic pain, or interstitial cystitis



• urinary blockage such as prostate enlargement, stricture, or narrowing of the urinary tract



• stone in the urinary tract



• unusual growth, polyp, tumor, or cancer

If you have a stone lodged in your ureter or have an area that needs more study in your ureter, your doctor may recommend a ureteroscopy, usually with general or regional anesthesia. The ureter is the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. The ureteroscope is a special, very thin instrument used to look directly at and visualize the inside of the ureter. Some ureteroscopes are flexible like a small, very long straw. Others are more rigid and firm. Through the ureteroscope, the doctor can see the stone. The doctor can then move the stone, either by removing it with a small basket at the end of a wire inserted through an extra tube in the ureteroscope or by extending a flexible fiber that carries a laser beam to break the stone into smaller pieces that can then pass out of the body in your urine. How and what the doctor will do is determined by the location, size, and composition of the stone. The doctor may leave a stent, a flexible tube that keeps the ureter open for drainage after the procedure.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• Urinary Tract Infection (UTI In Adults) - Learn about urinary tract infection causes, symptoms, signs, diagnosis and treatment of UTIs in men and women. Antibiotics may be used to treat recurrent bladder infections.
• Blood in Urine - Get information on causes, testing, diagnosis and treatment of blood in urine (hematuria). Causes include cancer, kidney stones, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and an enlarged prostate.
• Cancer - Learn about cancer types, disease statistics, facts, and survival rates, and get information about how malignant tumors (cancerous growths) metastasize or spread.

Read more Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy related articles »

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