Overview
A diagnostic or therapeutic procedure during which a small bladder tumor can be biopsied and destroyed.
A biopsy is a procedure in which a doctor takes a tissue sample from the area where cancer may exist. During the biopsy procedure, the doctor also will try to remove the cancerous growth. This is called resectioning. The entire procedure for bladder tumor biopsy and resection is known as Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURBT), or sometimes just transurethral resection (TUR).
Frequently Asked Questions
How a Bladder Biopsy is Performed?
The procedure typically lasts less than two minutes.
First you will be seated in a special chair that puts you in a reclined position. Your urethra is then prepped and numbed using a topical lidocaine.
During the procedure, your doctor will use a cystoscope, which is a small, thin lens with a camera that is inserted into your urethra.
In men, the urethra is at the tip of the penis. In women, it is located just above the vaginal opening.
Imagine your bladder as a balloon and the urethra is the neck of the balloon. hThe scope is passed through that short length of the urethra and into the wide space of the bladder. Water will flow through the cystoscope to fill the bladder. You may feel the need to urinate at times, which is normal. Once the bladder is inflated with water, the bladder wall can be well visualized.
The cystoscope has a working channel where an even thinner forcep is passed to obtain a small piece of tissue. This may cause a slight fleeting, pinching sensation. A tiny laser fiber can then be passed to stop any minimal bleeding which may occur or to treat an area already known to be abnormal.