Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumour (TURBT)
A TURBT is the removal of a tumour (growth) from within the bladder. This is done with a telescopic instrument passed into the bladder along the urethra (water pipe) and the tumour is removed in small fragments.
The commonest symptom from a bladder tumour is finding blood in the urine (haematuria). These tumours are usually diagnosed by the use of a flexible cystoscope that uses a fiber-optic telescope to examine the bladder. Once seen they need to be removed to both treat the growth and obtain more information about its cells. Under a general or a regional anaesthetic (spinal) the telescope is introduced into the urethra and the tumour cut away using small instruments put into the bladder. Following the operation an instillation of a chemotherapeutic agent (mitomycin c) is often placed into the bladder to reduce the chance of recurrence.
This operation may be all that is required to treat the more superficial tumours, however the more aggressive growths may require further treatment. This will be discussed in depth with you following the procedure. Most patients will be discharged on the same day as the operation.