Frequently Asked Questions about a Cystoscopy

2. Why is it used?

For most, cystoscopy is something done only when there is a problem at hand. For some people at risk of certain bladder or urologic conditions, however, it’s a great way of monitoring your bladder’s health.

Sometimes, symptoms of painful urination or blood in the urine may mean something is going on in your bladder and urethra. Other times, risk factors such as family history or certain jobs might increase your risk of bladder conditions, such as bladder cancer. For these reasons and more, your provider might recommend a cystoscopy. This can detect bladder cancers at an early age.

Sometimes, cystoscopy reveals cystitis (bladder inflammation) or bladder stones. In these cases, special tools can be connected to the cystoscope to remove them. For example, smaller bladder tumors can be removed with lasers attached to the cystoscope. It’s much less painful and less complicated than open surgery.

In a similar procedure, a smaller scope can be inserted into the ureters. The ureters drain urine from the kidney into the bladder. Occasionally, stones can get caught in the ureters causing significant pain and problems with excretion of urine. This procedure is termed ureteroscopy.