A cystoscopy is a test that a doctor or nurse can use to look inside your bladder or urethra. It's a type of endoscopy.
They use a cystoscope to do this. A cystoscope is a long tube with a tiny light and camera at one end. It is put into your urethra (the tube that carries pee out of your body) and moved through into your bladder.
Types of cystoscopy
There are 2 types of cystoscopy:
- flexible cystoscopy - a thin, bendy cystoscope is used
- rigid cystoscopy - a slightly wider cystoscope that does not bend is used
A flexible cystoscopy is usually done if the test is just to look inside your bladder. You stay awake while it's done.
A rigid cystoscopy may be done to treat a particular problem in your bladder. You'll either be given a general anaesthetic (you sleep) or spinal anaesthetic (the lower half of your body is numbed).
Ask your doctor or nurse which type you're going to have.
Why you may have a cystoscopy
A cystoscopy can be used to look for and treat problems in your bladder or urethra.
It can be used to check for the cause of problems such as:
- blood in your pee
- frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- problems peeing
- long-lasting pelvic pain
A cystoscopy can be used to do treatments such as:
- removing small bladder stones
- inserting or removing a stent (a small tube used to treat blockages)
- injecting medicine into your bladder
- removing a sample of tissue for testing in a laboratory (a biopsy)
Recovering from a cystoscopy
Most people recover quickly from a cystoscopy.
You can usually leave hospital:
- later the same day if you had a flexible cystoscopy
- 2 days after a rigid cystoscopy
You can usually return to your normal activities as soon as you feel able to.
It's normal to have discomfort when peeing and some blood in your pee for a day or 2.
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if
you have any of the following in the days after the cystoscopy:
- severe discomfort or discomfort that does not improve in a few days
- a high temperature (fever) of 38 degrees Celsius or above
Emergency action required: Go to your nearest emergency department (ED) if:
- you feel really unwell
