Cystoscopy / Flexible Cystoscopy
A cystoscopy is a procedure in which a camera is passed along the urethra (water pipe) and into the bladder to allow the bladder and prostate (in men) to be examined.
Many urological symptoms will require an examination of the bladder and this is achieved using a cystoscope. The majority of these are performed using a flexible cystoscope, which is passed down the urethra (water pipe) under a local anaesthetic. It uses fiber optics to allow a thorough inspection of the bladder.
A rigid cystoscopy is performed under a general anaesthetic and enables other treatments to be performed in addition to inspecting the bladder. These include:
Urethral dilatation is a procedure in which the urethra (water pipe) is dilated. This is a treatment for a narrowed urethra in men and for women with a condition called the urethral syndrome.
Cystodiathermy is the term used when a small growth is burnt away from the wall of the bladder.
Urethrotomy is an operation to make an incision in a stricture (narrowing) of the urethra.
Bladder Biopsy allows an abnormal area in the bladder to be sampled.