Flexible cystoscopy has many advantages in postoperative follow-up of bladder cancer patients

Bladder cancer is prone to recurrence, so regular follow-up examinations are required after surgery, and cystoscopy is the most direct and accurate means of early detection of small lesions in the bladder. However, as an invasive procedure, soft cystoscopy has more advantages than hard cystoscopy.

1. No blind spots during inspection: Since the end of the scope is soft and the tip can be bent upward or downward at a large angle, the bladder walls can be easily scanned inside the bladder, and the bladder neck and the internal opening of the urethra can be "looked back", so there are no blind spots during inspection.

2. Less damage: Since the endoscope is soft (similar to a urinary catheter) and has a thin diameter (<16Fr), it is almost painless when inserted under surface anesthesia. Gentle insertion under direct vision will basically not cause damage to the urethra and bladder, making it easier for patients to accept and more conducive to patients adhering to regular cystoscopy examinations.

3. Clear field of vision: The soft endoscope is less damaging, so it can minimize the impact of traumatic hematuria on observation. The soft endoscope is also equipped with a suction device to absorb floating objects in the bladder that hinder observation, thereby ensuring a clear field of vision. In addition, the soft endoscope is an electronic digital imaging with extremely high image resolution. It can clearly magnify the image hundreds of times without distortion, so that earlier and smaller lesions can be discovered, so that the disease can be effectively treated at an early stage and the efficacy can be improved.

4. Low requirements for body position: The patient can be examined in lithotomy position, supine position and lateral position. It is especially suitable for patients who cannot be placed in lithotomy position (such as patients with lower limb deformities, severe arthritis and hemiplegia).

5. The urethra and bladder can be examined at the same time: When observing the urethra and bladder with a rigid endoscope, it is necessary to change the endoscope at different angles.