A cystoscopy is a procedure used to look inside your bladder to diagnose or treat conditions.

Why a cystoscopy is done

Reasons for having a cystoscopy

A cystoscopy can be done to check what’s causing your bladder symptoms, treat some bladder conditions, or to help diagnose and treat bladder cancer.

Checking bladder symptoms

A cystoscopy can be used to check what’s causing your bladder symptoms, such as:

• blood in your pee
• urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• urinary incontinence
• pain in the lower part of your tummy (pelvic pain) that does not go away
• symptoms affecting your peeing, such as it hurting when you pee, peeing more than normal, or it not feeling like you’ve fully emptied your bladder after peeing

Treating bladder conditions

You might also have a cystoscopy to treat certain bladder conditions.

A cystoscope can be used to:

• remove bladder stones
• help shrink the prostate if you have prostate enlargement
• inject medicines directly into the bladder, such as Botox for an overactive bladder
• repair damage to the bladder
• remove a sample of cells for testing (a biopsy)

Checking for and treating bladder cancer

A biopsy can be used to check for any changes in the bladder, which could be bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer can be hard to diagnose, so you may also have other tests.

If you’ve been diagnosed with bladder cancer, a cystoscopy may be used to:

• remove a tumour in the bladder
• check how well treatment, such as chemotherapy, is working,

How a cystoscopy is done

What happens during a cystoscopy

You’ll probably be asked to go to a local hospital or clinic to have your cystoscopy.

Before the procedure you’ll be asked to empty your bladder by having a pee. You may be asked to give a urine sample at the same time to check for any infections. If you have an infection, the cystoscopy may need to be rescheduled.

Having a flexible cystoscopy

1. You’ll be asked to undress, behind a screen, from the waist down. You’ll be given a gown to wear.
2. You’ll be asked to lie down on a couch or bed.
3. A local anaesthetic gel will be used to numb the area around your urethra (the tube that carries pee from your bladder out of your body).
4. A thin, flexible tube with a camera inside (cystoscope) is gently put into your urethra and moved through it into your bladder.
5. A saline solution is pumped into your bladder to inflate it. This makes it easier to see inside.
6. The cystoscope is moved around inside your bladder to check it. The images are sent to a screen that you can watch if you want to.
7. Tools can be used through the cystoscope to remove a small sample of cells for testing (biopsy).
8. Once the test is complete the cystoscope is gently removed from your bladder.

A flexible cystoscopy usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes.

Having a rigid cystoscopy

1. You’ll either be given a general anaesthetic (so you’re asleep during the procedure), or have the lower half of your body numbed with anaesthetic given in your spine (spinal anaesthetic).
2. A tube with a camera inside (cystoscope) is gently put into your urethra and moved through it into your bladder.
3. A saline solution is pumped into your bladder to inflate it. This makes it easier to see inside and do any treatment.
4. Tools can be used through the cystoscope to remove a small sample of cells for testing (biopsy) or to treat certain conditions.
5. Any cuts made during testing or treatment are sealed and the cystoscope is gently removed from your bladder.

A rigid cystoscopy usually takes around 30 minutes.

After a cystoscopy

If you’ve had a flexible cystoscopy, you can go home as soon as the procedure is complete. You can return to work and normal activities as soon as you feel able to.

If you’ve had a rigid cystoscopy you can usually go home once you recover from the effects of the anaesthetic, and you’re able to pee.

For most people, this takes a few hours.

If you’ve had a spinal or general anaesthetic, somebody needs to take you home and stay with you for 24 hours.

During this 24-hour period do not:

• drink alcohol
• drive
• operate heavy or complex machinery

You may have a small amount of blood in your pee for a few days after having a cystoscopy. It may also be painful when you pee.

These symptoms should pass in a few days and are usually nothing to worry about. Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help treat any pain. Speak to a GP if the symptoms do not go away after a few days.