Endoscopy of the urinary bladder via the urethra is called<unk> . Diagnostic<unk>  is usually carried out with local anaesthesia. General anaesthesia is sometimes used for operative<unk> c procedures.
When a patient has a urinary problem, the doctor may use a<unk>  to see the inside of the bladder and urethra.
The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
The<unk>  has lenses like a telescope or microscope. These lenses let the doctor focus on the inner surfaces of the urinary tract. Some<unk> s use optical fibres (flexible glass fibres) that carry an image from the tip of the instrument to a viewing piece at the other end. The<unk>  is as thick as a pencil and has a light at the tip. Many<unk> s have extra tubes to guide other instruments for surgical procedures to treat urinary problems.
There are two main types of<unk>  - flexible and rigid - differing in the flexibility of the<unk> .  Flexible<unk>  is carried out using local anaesthesia on both sexes. Typically, lidocaine gel (such as the brand name Instillagel) is used as an anaesthetic, instilled in the urethra. Rigid<unk>  can be performed under the same conditions, but is generally carried out under general anaesthesia, particularly in male subjects, due to the pain caused by the probe.
A doctor may recommend<unk>  for any of the following conditions:
Interstitial<unk> tis
Frequent urinary tract infections
Blood in the urine (hematuria)
Loss of bladder control (incontinence) or overactive bladder
Unusual cells found in urine sample
Need for a bladder catheter
Painful urination, chronic pelvic pain, or interstitial<unk> tis
Urinary blockage such as from prostate enlargement, stricture, or narrowing of the urinary tract
Stone in the urinary tract
Unusual growth, polyp, tumor, or cancer
Cystoscopy
Ureteroscopy
Urodynamics
Cystectomy
Voiding cystourethrogram
Intravenous pyelogram
Pyelonephritis x ray
Retrograde pyelogram