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The community-based morbidity of flexible cystoscopy
D M Burke1, D C Shackley, P H O'Reilly
1Department of Urology, Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, UK.
BJU International
|March 2, 2002
Summary
Flexible cystoscopy (FC) is generally well-tolerated, but patients frequently experience post-procedure symptoms like hematuria and urinary frequency. Pre-procedure counseling is recommended to manage expectations and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Patient Experience
- Medical Procedures
Background:
- Flexible cystoscopy (FC) is a common urological procedure.
- Understanding patient experience post-FC is crucial for improving care.
- Current data on post-FC symptoms and their impact is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate patient experience following flexible cystoscopy (FC).
- To determine the prevalence and severity of post-FC symptoms.
- To assess the rates of General Practitioner (GP) visits, antibiotic prescriptions, and urinary tract infections (UTIs) after FC.
Main Methods:
- Prospective audit of 420 consecutive patients undergoing FC.
- Pain scores recorded immediately post-procedure.
- Questionnaires completed at 7 days to assess symptoms, GP visits, and antibiotic use.
- Specific cohort (110 patients) assessed for FC-induced UTIs using urine samples.
Main Results:
- High patient satisfaction (99.5%) with FC.
- Median pain score was low (1.1/10), with few patients experiencing severe pain.
- Common symptoms included pain on voiding (50%), urinary frequency (37%), and gross hematuria (19%).
- Low rates of GP visits (6.6%) and antibiotic prescriptions (5.5%) were observed in the initial cohort.
- FC-induced UTI incidence was 2.7% in the specialized cohort.
Conclusions:
- Flexible cystoscopy is well-tolerated by most patients.
- Post-FC symptoms such as hematuria, frequency, and dysuria are more common than anticipated.
- Thorough pre-procedure counseling is essential to manage patient expectations, reduce anxiety, and minimize unnecessary GP consultations and antibiotic prescriptions.