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  • A Cytoscopy quetstion

    Posted by Cynthia on April 29, 2009 at 12:28 am

    Here is a question I received from a lady today. It is one I have never had before. My answer for the most part would be it depends on the skill of the doctor doing the cystoscopy……. State of the art and bells and whistles do not make up for lack of skill. Personally I liked the ones with the monitors so I could watch only problem was they would never give me the remote so that I could change the channel. All joking aside my first cysto was with a local uro who kept his scopes in Tupperware without lids and brought it in on a food cart that looked like it had been appropriated from the hospital cafeteria. Knowing what I do now I should have said thanks but no thanks he took a look and missed a sizable tumor. The second one I had was at a major blc center without a monitor and he picked up on everything that was there except the CIS. Chime in if you have any other thoughts.

    Please tell me if the cysto with a screen monitor is better than the type only the doc can see thanks


    Cynthia Kinsella
    T2 g3 CIS 8/04
    Clinical Trial
    Chemotherapy & Radiation 10/04-12/04
    Chemotherapy 3/05-5/05
    BCG 9/05-1-06
    RC w/umbilical Indiana pouch 5/06
    Left Nephrectomy 1/09
    President American Bladder Cancer Society
    Joey replied 15 years, 9 months ago 12 Members · 15 Replies
  • 15 Replies
  • joey's avatar

    joey

    Member
    May 11, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    Donna, same here as Nix stated. Just had my follow up two weeks ago and after a nerve wrenching week I got the “benign” call. Started 2nd round of BCG last week. Everything will be just fine.

    Joey

  • nix's avatar

    nix

    Member
    May 9, 2009 at 12:21 pm

    Hi Donna, Good luck on Monday, I will keep you in my thoughts – it is easy to worry before the cysto, and a great reason to celebrate after the all clear sign.
    Nix


    Nancy S
    Ta CIS
    dx Ta 11/06
    dx Ta CIS 10/07
  • moonerj's avatar

    moonerj

    Member
    May 9, 2009 at 12:40 am

    Donna you slept with BCG, tumors never had a chance.
    You will be clear, so will monitor on my birthday.
    Don’t forget my present.
    Jack


    TA Grade 1
    3 Turbts
    30 BCG Treatments
    Cancer Free since Nov 2007
  • Donna49's avatar

    Donna49

    Member
    May 9, 2009 at 12:33 am

    My first cysto was the time that I was diagnosed in December.The uro team did not use drugs, but used a deadening gel. My doctor used a monitor and I saw the tumor up close and personal. There was no denying at that point that I had a very large coral shaped tumor floating around inside me.
    I am scheduled for another one on Monday and I am hoping that there will be nothing to watch on TV! Fingers crossed!

    Donna

  • Alan's avatar

    Alan

    Member
    May 8, 2009 at 1:36 pm

    My URO doesn’t have a monitor. However, he seems to to very up on what is going on. He taught for a few years at UTSA(San Antonio)and is a diplomate of urology (not sure what diplomate implies). His bigget concern is to not miss anything.


    DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.
  • michstate89's avatar

    michstate89

    Member
    May 8, 2009 at 6:10 am

    Never had a scope with a monitor – all have been with the eyepiece. I think I read somewhere that there is a particular type of light they can use that lets the doc see better (near UV or something and done in Europe), but I’ve never had it done that way either.

    Ross


    Ross M
    TaG1 March 06
    Recurrence Jan 07
    BCG Maintenance after 6 week treatment
  • mmc's avatar

    mmc

    Member
    April 30, 2009 at 2:25 pm

    My uro saw nothing during the in office cysto and my wife and I watched it on the monitor.

    A few weeks later, I went in for biopsy and a TUIP with my 2nd opinion uro and he saw CIS red area right away. Actually, one of his interns saw it while inserting the scope and then my uro took over immediately to take that spot out for biopsy.

    Not sure if it all of sudden showed up or if my original uro just didn’t see that spot.

    Mike


    Age 54
    10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
    9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
    10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
    2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
    9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
    1/2014 ct scan results….distant mets
    2/2014 ct result…spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph system

    My opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of ABLCS or anyone else. I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.
  • pemquid's avatar

    pemquid

    Member
    April 30, 2009 at 1:55 pm

    My uro has a monitor, but usually just uses the scope with a direct look when he’s doing check-ups, and does not do make or keep any digital images. However, when he did an in-office biopsy and fulguration last June when I had a recurrence (2 tiny tumors), he did use the monitor and my husband and I got to watch; I think he might have saved a digital “picture” of the tumors before the procedure, but I’m not sure. I recall that when I went to him for the initial diagnostics scoping, he did use the monitor, and did keep a digital image of the tumor.

    Ann


    Small TA Grade 1, May-06; recur (2 tiny), same, June-08; TURBTs both times. BCG begun July-08, dosage to 1/3rd May-10, completed treatment December-11. All clear since 2008.
  • mmc's avatar

    mmc

    Member
    April 30, 2009 at 1:19 pm

    I’m not sure if one is any better than the other (monitor or no monitor) but it sure would be nice if they could record them to disk. It’s a test with no real concrete output for the records.

    If there was a CD or DVD of the output, 2nd opinion could also have a look at the test. There probably could also be some analysis to ensure that the entire bladder was actually seen during the cysto. As some folks here can attest, sometimes they miss stuff.

    Mike


    Age 54
    10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
    9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
    10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
    2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
    9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
    1/2014 ct scan results….distant mets
    2/2014 ct result…spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph system

    My opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of ABLCS or anyone else. I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.
  • alsimons's avatar

    alsimons

    Member
    April 30, 2009 at 1:28 am

    Warren……………………my feelings also:woohoo:

  • alsimons's avatar

    alsimons

    Member
    April 30, 2009 at 1:25 am

    Nix

    Does you Uro give you any meds? I find the biopsies doesn’t cause much pain but the cauterizing …….no matter how much I try and relax causes me to jump and flexible or not …:unsure: ……ouch. Last time after he burned out five tumors I was ready for the roof

    Al

  • nix's avatar

    nix

    Member
    April 29, 2009 at 9:51 pm

    My Uro does a cysto that uses the monitor. Th first couple of times I had a cysto, I was very interested in looking at the monitor. The last 21/2 yrs. I don’t even look anymore. In fact, I think I say “just take a good look, if you are doing biopsies, just do it!” After all my BCG maintenance my bladder is very sensitive.:woohoo:
    He did use a new digital one that I liked a lot, because when he cauterises after the biopsie, he could pin-point the location very quickly and get it over with. :cheer:

    Nix


    Nancy S
    Ta CIS
    dx Ta 11/06
    dx Ta CIS 10/07
  • wsilberstein's avatar

    wsilberstein

    Member
    April 29, 2009 at 4:42 pm

    When my old urologist got a new model cystoscope with a monitor, he asked if I wanted to look. I answered, “just get done and get that @!*# thing out of me!” My current urologist does not have a scope with a monitor. I might be interested to see if I was relaxed and comfortable, but in the end, while patient preferences might make a difference regarding the ability to watch on a monitor, the urologist’s ability to tell what’s going on shouldn’t be affected by it.


    -Warren
    TaG3 + CIS 12/2000. TURB + Mitomycin C (No BCG)
    Urethral stricture, urethroplasty 10/2009
    CIS 11/2010 treated with BCG. CIS 5/2012 treated with BCG/interferon
    T1G3 1/2013. Radical Cystectomy 3/5/2013, No invasive cancer. CIS in right ureter.
    Incontinent. AUS implant 2/2014. AUS explant 5/2014
    Pediatrician
  • flamenco's avatar

    flamenco

    Member
    April 29, 2009 at 9:30 am

    I have only ever had cystos with monitor. My uro changed to a newer model which he says is more accurate(Also I found more uncomfortable!), about 6 months ago. I personally prefer to see whats going on in there,
    Regards, Diane

  • moonerj's avatar

    moonerj

    Member
    April 29, 2009 at 12:45 am

    My 1st Cysto’s were done without the monitor.

    When my town opened a new hospital 2 years ago, the Urology department was updated with state of the art equipment.

    My Uro bragged to me that the light used for the Cysto’s was just invented recently, and is much more powerful than his old one at the other hospital.
    The monitor was flat screen, and we both looked inside my bladder together.
    I personally like the monitor. But more importantly I like the more powerful light.

    Hope this helps.
    Jack


    TA Grade 1
    3 Turbts
    30 BCG Treatments
    Cancer Free since Nov 2007

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