Cystoscopy
A cystoscopy is an examination that allows the urinary tract (urethra and bladder) to be seen.
Before the examination
Ideally, you should not urinate during the 30 minutes before the examination. This allows us to collect a quantity of urine for laboratory tests.
You may be asked to temporarily stop some of your medications before the procedure (for example, anticoagulants).
No other preparation is needed for this examination.
What to bring
- An up-to-date list of the medications you are taking.
- Your health insurance card.
- Your hospital card (if you do not have one, we will make one for you).
After the examination
Unless otherwise mentioned, this examination does not require an escort.
How a cystoscopy is performed
The doctor introduces a tube called a cystoscope through your urethra into your bladder. With the help of an optical fibre (camera), the doctor sees the images projected onto a screen allowing the examination to proceed. This examination can establish a diagnosis, follow up on a bladder tumor or install a bladder catheter to facilitate the elimination of urine.
Biopsy
During the examination, it is possible to conduct a biopsy. In this case, a small instrument is introduced into the cystoscope to remove a tissue fragment. The collected sample is sent to the hospital laboratory for analysis.
Length of the examination
The examination lasts between 5 and 15 minutes and doesn’t usually need an escort.