What Is a Cystoscopy?
Updated on September 26, 2024
ON THIS PAGE
ON THIS PAGE
Cystoscopy is a procedure that helps doctors diagnose, observe, and treat conditions that affect your urinary tract. It can be performed on both the male and female anatomy.
Overview
What Is Cystoscopy?
Cystoscopy is a common procedure. Research shows more than one million cystoscopies are performed each year in the United States to help diagnose urinary conditions.
With a cystoscopy, doctors use a special instrument called a cystoscope to look inside your bladder and urethra (the tube that takes urine from your bladder to the outside of your body). The scope is lighted and contains a camera or viewing lens on it.
Cystoscopy can help doctors spot problems in the urinary tract, such as cancer, infection, blockages, bleeding, injuries, and more. Healthcare providers also use the procedure to treat certain issues, like bleeding in your bladder or a blockage in your urethra.
Types of Cystoscopies
There are two types of cystoscopies:
- Flexible Cystoscope A bendable scope that’s used to follow the natural path of your urethra.
- Rigid Cystoscope A nonflexible scope that can be used to pass instruments through for certain procedures, like a biopsy or tumor removal. This type is typically only used if you’re under sedation or general anesthesia.
Why Is Cystoscopy Done?
Cystoscopy is used for two reasons:
- To determine the cause of your urinary symptoms
- To treat certain conditions
Your doctor might recommend a cystoscopy if you notice symptoms such as painful urination, blood in your urine, frequent urination, trouble peeing, leaking urine, or frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Specifically, cystoscopy can help doctors spot:
- Tumors
- Tissue abnormalities
- Cancer (most often urethral or bladder cancer)
- Bladder stones
- Cysts
- Inflammation
- Scarring
- Pouches or ulcers on the bladder wall
- Polyps (small growths of tissue)
- Narrowing of the urethra
- An enlarged prostate (in men)
If an area looks abnormal during a cystoscopy, doctors may perform a biopsy. This involves cutting out a small piece of tissue and sending it to the lab to be analyzed.
Doctors can also use cystoscopy to treat problems or perform other tests using cystoscopy. Some examples include:
- Removing a stone, a tumor, or abnormal tissue in the bladder or urethra
- Injecting medication into the bladder or urethra to treat urinary leakage
- Taking urine samples from the ureters (the tubes that carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder)
- Performing a special X-ray called a pyelography, which lets doctors view obstructions (like stones and tumors) in the urinary tract
- Enlarging a narrowed urethra
- Removing a stent from the ureter after a previous procedure
How Is Cystoscopy Performed?
Cystoscopy is performed by a urologist — a medical doctor who specializes in conditions that affect the urinary tract. The procedure can be done in a doctor’s office, an outpatient center, or at a hospital.
You’ll typically be awake during a cystoscopy that’s being done to diagnose an issue. A numbing gel is often used to prevent discomfort. However, you may be sedated or need general anesthesia if the cystoscopy requires a biopsy or is being used for treatment purposes.
During cystoscopy, the urologist inserts a cystoscope into your urethra and up to your bladder. Then, water or saltwater is fed through the tube to fill your bladder. The fluid stretches the bladder wall, which helps your doctor see the entire area better on a computer monitor.
Your urologist will then screen the area. They may pass different instruments through the cystoscope to help perform tests or treatments.
When the procedure is complete, the liquid from your bladder will be drained. Or you may be asked to empty your bladder in the restroom.
How Do I Prepare for Cystoscopy?
Before your cystoscopy, you should tell your doctor about all the medications, vitamins, and supplements you take. You may need to stop using medicines, such as blood thinners or aspirin, for a certain time before your procedure. Don’t stop taking any medications without first talking to your doctor.
Be sure to let your health provider know if you’re pregnant or have any allergies before your cystoscopy.
Also, tell your doctor if you think you have a UTI. You might need to provide a urine sample on the day of the procedure. If you do have an infection, you may not be able to undergo cystoscopy. Or your doctor might recommend that you take an antibiotic before you have the procedure done. Follow the provided instructions carefully.
You will need to avoid eating or drinking for a designated amount of time before the cystoscopy. Your healthcare provider will provide you with specific instructions regarding food and water intake.
Additionally, you may need to arrange for someone else to take you home if you’re sedated.
What Should I Expect During Cystoscopy?
Before the cystoscopy, you may be asked to empty your bladder. Then, you’ll need to remove your clothing and any jewelry, and put on a gown. You will lay on an exam table with your knees up and your feet placed in stirrups.
If you’re awake for your cystoscopy, your doctor will apply a numbing gel to your urethra. If you require sedation or general anesthesia, you will be given special medicines via an IV.
During the procedure, your doctor will slide the lubricated cystoscope through your urethra and into your bladder. Then they will inject fluid. You may feel discomfort or the urge to pee if you’re awake.
With the scope in place, your urologist will examine the area and perform any tests or treatments needed. Then, they will carefully remove the cystoscope. They may drain the fluid or ask you to empty your bladder.
If the procedure is being done for diagnostic purposes, it usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes total. It may only take a minute or so if it’s done for diagnostic purposes while you’re awake. However, cystoscopy may take longer if your doctor is performing treatment or removing tissue.
Sometimes, doctors perform another procedure, called ureteroscopy, at the same time as the cystoscopy. With ureteroscopy, the urologist uses a smaller scope to examine the ureters (tubes that take urine from the kidneys to the bladder).
What Are the Potential Risks Associated With Cystoscopy?
Cystoscopies are generally safe. But like with any procedure, there are always risks involved.
Some potential risks of cystoscopy include:
- Abnormal bleeding
- Injury to the urethra or bladder
- UTI
- Reactions to anesthesia, such as nausea, vomiting, confusion, or dizziness
What Type of Care Is Needed Following Cystoscopy?
Most people recover from cystoscopy quickly, usually within a day or two. Your recovery may be longer if you had other treatments or tests, such as a biopsy.
For a couple of days after the procedure, you may notice a tinge of blood in your urine or pain when you urinate. You may also experience pain or a burning sensation while you pee, or have to urinate often. If these symptoms don’t improve within a day or two, or they become worse, let your doctor know. Also, tell your provider if you develop signs of infection, such as fever, chills, pain, or less urination.
Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help flush out your bladder and relieve symptoms. You can also apply a warm compress to the area, take a warm bath, or use over-the-counter pain-relieving medication to help relieve any discomfort.
It's okay to go back to eating your usual diet and performing everyday activities unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
If you have anesthesia or sedation during your cystoscopy, someone else will need to drive you home after the procedure.
What Are the Possible Complications and Side Effects of Cystoscopy?
Rarely, cystoscopy can cause complications or other side effects, such as:
- UTI
- Bladder spasms
- Scar tissue formation
- Damage to the bladder or urethra
- Pain (usually temporary)
What’s Next
After your cystoscopy, your doctor might be ready to discuss the results with you right away. Or you may need to schedule a follow-up visit to talk about the findings. If you had a biopsy, your provider will let you know when the lab results are back.
If your results are normal, you might not need any further testing. Abnormal findings on a cystoscopy may require you to undergo further tests or treatments. Your doctor can help you understand what to do next if your results indicate you should have a follow-up appointment.
The Takeaway
Cystoscopy is a common medical procedure used to diagnose and treat conditions of the urinary tract. It can detect issues such as cancer, inflammation, polyps, scarring, cysts, injuries, and more. Doctors can perform a biopsy and treat different problems with cystoscopy. The procedure is generally safe. It doesn’t require much downtime. Most people recover smoothly and quickly.
Resources We Trust
- May Clinic: Cystoscopy
- Cleveland Clinic: Cystoscopy
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Cystoscopy & Ureteroscopy
- American Cancer Society: Cystoscopy
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: About Your Cystoscopy in the Operating Room
Meet Our Experts
Christopher Wolter, MD
Medical Reviewer
Christopher Wolter, MD, is an assistant professor in urology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. He has been in practice since 2008, specializing in the areas of urinary incontinen...
Julie Lynn Marks
Author
Julie Marks is a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience covering health, lifestyle, and science topics. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, her work has bee...
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Cystoscopy. Mayo Clinic. December 17, 2022.
- SESAUA 2024: Prevalence, Trends, and Costs of Office-Based and ASC-Based Diagnostic Cystoscopy in the United States. The 2024 Southeastern Section of the AUA (SESAUA) Annual Meeting. March 23, 2024.
- Cystoscopy. American Cancer Society. January 14, 2019.
- Cystoscopy. Cleveland Clinic. January 29, 2024.
- Cystoscopy for Women. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
- Cystoscopy & Ureteroscopy. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. July 2021.
- Cystoscopy (Bladder Exam). UVA Health.
- Cystoscopy. Mount Sinai.
- About Your Cystoscopy in the Operating Room. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. July 1, 2024.