What should you know about urethra male cystoscopy?

A male urethra cystoscopy passes a slender camera through the urethra to inspect the urethral lining and bladder. The urethra is the channel that carries urine out of the body. The clinician can look for narrowing, inflammation, stones, bleeding or unusual tissue and may take a sample when needed.

Cystoscopy may be arranged for blood in the urine, difficulty emptying the bladder, repeated urinary infections, urgency, pain or an abnormal scan. A finding in the urethra or bladder may have several explanations, so the camera view is interpreted alongside your history, urine tests and imaging.

The examination can identify a narrowed passage and sometimes allows treatment during the same appointment, depending on the plan. It does not by itself prove bladder cancer. The Bladder Cancer and Cystoscopy pages provide related information.

Tell the team about blood-thinning medicines, allergies, urinary infections, prostate or urethral procedures, and any trouble passing urine. Ask whether you need to alter medicines or give a urine sample. The team will discuss local anaesthetic, sedation or another anaesthetic before starting.

Temporary stinging, urgency and a small amount of blood may follow. Drink fluids if advised, take prescribed medicine as directed and follow instructions about driving and activity. If the clinician takes a biopsy or treats a narrowing, recovery instructions may be different.

Call the clinic for persistent or worsening burning, fever, increasing blood in the urine or new cloudy urine. Get urgent help if you cannot pass urine, develop severe pain, have heavy bleeding or clots, or feel faint, confused or severely unwell.

Ask what symptoms the cystoscopy is investigating, whether the urethra or bladder needs special attention, what anaesthetic is planned, whether a narrowing could be treated, and when any biopsy or urine results will arrive. Confirm who to contact if urination becomes difficult.