Editing Cystoscopy (section)

== Indications before and after the procedure ==

=== Before the procedure ===
Prior to the early 1990s, it was common practice for the physician performing the procedure to prescribe an [[antibiotic]] to take for a few days to prevent an [[infection]]. Since that time, many urologists will order a "urine C & S" ([[urinalysis]] with bacterial/fungal cultures and testing for sensitivities to anti-infective medications) prior to the performance of the cystoscopy, and as part of the pre-operative workup. Depending on the results of the testing and other circumstances, he or she may elect to prescribe a 10- to 14-day course of antibiotic or other anti-infective treatment, commencing 3 days before the cystoscopy is to be performed, as this may alleviate some inflammation of the urethra prior to the procedure.{{cn|date=February 2022}}

This practice may provide an additional benefit by preventing an accidental infection from occurring during the procedure. When antibiotics are given for UTI prevention in adults undergoing a cystoscopy, they may reduce the risk of infections that go into the bloodstream and infections limited to the bladder.<ref name="Zeng_2019">{{cite journal | vauthors = Zeng S, Zhang Z, Bai Y, Sun Y, Xu C | title = Antimicrobial agents for preventing urinary tract infections in adults undergoing cystoscopy | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2019 | pages = CD012305 | date = February 2019 | issue = 2 | pmid = 30789676 | pmc = 6383548 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD012305.pub2 | collaboration = Cochrane Urology Group }}</ref> However, antibiotics may have little to no effect on only the risk of serious infections that go in the bloodstream. From review data, antibiotics do not appear to cause serious unwanted side effects or affect the occurrence of minor side effects, but more research is needed to confirm these findings.<ref name="Zeng_2019" /> The full-course of antibiotic treatment also lessens the possibility of the bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotic/anti-infective agent prescribed.

Physicians may also prescribe an oral urinary [[analgesic]], [[phenazopyridine]], or a combination (urinary) analgesic/anti-infective/[[anti-spasmodic]] medication containing [[Methylene Blue|methylene blue]], [[methanamine]], [[hyoscyamine sulfate]] and [[phenyl salicylate]] for irritation and/or [[dysuria]] patients may experience after the procedure. At two weeks post-procedure, the practitioner may order a follow-up evaluation including a repeat of the urinalysis with cultures and sensitivities, and a uroflowmetric study (which evaluates the volume of urine released from the body, the speed with which it is released, and how long the release takes)

=== After the procedure ===
Patients often experience a burning sensation during urination and often see small amounts of blood in their urine. Procedures using rigid instrumentation more frequently result in short-term [[urinary incontinence]] and leakage due to urethral damage. Occasionally, patients may feel some [[lower abdominal pain]]s, reflecting bladder [[muscle spasms]], but these are not common.

Common (non-invasive) prescriptions to relieve discomfort after the test may include:
* drinking 32 fluid ounces (1 L) of water over 2 hours;
* taking a warm bath to relieve the burning feeling; and
* holding a warm, damp washcloth over the urethral opening.