Intravesical irrigation with alum for the control of massive bladder hemorrhage

Continuous vesical irrigation with 1 per cent alum solution was performed without anesthesia in 9 patients in whom massive bladder hemorrhage persisted despite evacuation of clots and normal saline irrigation for at least 24 hours. Hematuria ceased promptly in all patients, although the effect was transient in 3. No side effect was observed. Biopsy of the tumor subsequent to alum irrigation showed no alteration in the histological characteristics. Biopsy of the normal-appearing bladder mucosa also showed no evidence of epithelial damage. Ultrastructure of the tumor in 1 patient in whom transurethral resection was performed 2 weeks after alum irrigation revealed well preserved nuclear chromatin, thus, suggesting that whatever changes occur after alum irrigation are short-lived.