Cystoscopy is a diagnostic test that the Urologist can perform to allow him to see directly into the bladder and the urethra. The instrument is called a Cystoscope with is a lighted, tubular telescope that is inserted through the Urethra into the bladder.
This test is performed for many reasons. The Urologist is generally looking for problems associated with pain or blood in the urine. While being inserted through the Urethra the Urologist, can look for any type of obstruction in the urethra and the bladder and look for stones.
This instrument gives the Urologist an excellent view of the bladder lining. The bladder lining is the area that the Urologist needs to inspect carefully if he suspects cancer. Water flows through this instrument to flush the Urethra and bladder so that the Urologist can better view the interior of the Urethra and the bladder.
This procedure may be preformed under local anesthesia so that you will not feel any discomfort. I have had it done without anesthesia and found it uncomfortable but not painful. During this procedure, the Urologist can obtain pieces of tissue that he wishes to have examined by a Pathologist.
During the procedure, the Urologist may completely fill the bladder with water. This can be a little uncomfortable since you have the sensation that you need to void but are unable to do so. The filling of the bladder with water stretches the bladder wall, like a balloon, giving the Urologist a better view of the bladder wall.
If you are diagnosed with bladder cancer from biopsies taken during a cystoscope, the Urologist may go back into the bladder, with you under anesthesia , and remove the tumours. Today, a chemo bladder wash generally follows. The chemo bladder wash is subjecting the area of the bladder wall where the tumor or tumors were located to chemotherapy.
After a suitable length of time, the Urologist will redo the cystoscope to determine if the tumor or tumors have re-grown.
In my case, a chemo bladder wash was not a standard procedure after removing the tumors with a cystoscope. The tumors in my bladder were growing back faster than the Urologist was able to remove them. That is the main reason that my bladder was removed. He wanted the bladder removed before the tumors breached the bladder wall and spread the cancer to other parts of my body. Needless to say, a few cancer cells did breach the bladder wall and set up a secondary site in my groin lymph nodes. This meant that I had to go through four months of intensive chemotherapy.
Posted on April 26th, 2008 by Neil
Filed under: Bladder Cancer - Background, My Cancer
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