Flexible urethrocystoscopy in nephrological investigation

Flexible urethrocystoscopy under local anaesthetic was performed on 100 patients as part of their nephrological investigations. This was carried out by a nephrologist, obviating the previous practice of referral to a surgical colleague for rigid instrumentation under general anaesthetic. A pathological diagnosis was made in 69 patients with flexible urethrocystoscopy alone; 17 patients required subsequent rigid cystoscopy to obtain or confirm a diagnosis. Thirty-four patients had normal examinations and of these 13 underwent renal biopsy for diagnosis. Considerable savings in theatre time, man-hours and anaesthetic risk to the patients were made without compromising diagnostic accuracy or patient wellbeing.