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. 2016;11(2):94-7.
doi: 10.5114/wiitm.2016.60665. Epub 2016 Jun 17.

Patient comfort during flexible and rigid cystourethroscopy

Wojciech Krajewski  1 , Romuald Zdrojowy  1 , Joanna Wojciechowska  2 , Katarzyna Kościelska  3 , Janusz Dembowski  1 , Michał Matuszewski  1 , Krzysztof Tupikowski  1 , Bartosz Małkiewicz  1 , Anna Kołodziej  1
Affiliations

Patient comfort during flexible and rigid cystourethroscopy

Wojciech Krajewski et al. Wideochir Inne Tech Maloinwazyjne. 2016.

Abstract

Introduction: Cystourethroscopy (CS) is an endoscopic method used to visualize the urethra and the bladder.

Aim: In this study, we prospectively evaluated pain in men undergoing cyclic cystoscopic assessment with rigid and flexible instruments after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURB).

Material and methods: One hundred and twenty male patients who were under surveillance after a TURB procedure due to urothelial cell carcinoma and who had undergone at least one rigid cystourethroscopy in the past were enrolled in the trial. Patients were prospectively randomized to age-matched groups for flexible (group F) or rigid (group R) CS. Patient's comfort was evaluated on an 11-grade scale, ranging from 0 (free from pain) to 10 points (unbearable pain).

Results: The patients described the pain during the previous rigid CS as ranging from 4 to 10 (mean: 6.8) in group F and from 0 to 10 (mean: 5.8) in group R. Group R patients described the pain during the current rigid CS as ranging from 0 to 10 (mean: 5.7). No mean change in the grade was observed between the two pain descriptions (no change 11 patients, weaker pain 25 patients, stronger pain 24 patients, gamma 0.51, p < 0.0001). Group F described the pain as 1 to 5 (mean: 2.1). In the case of flexible CS the pain experience was greatly lowered compared to the previous rigid CS. All flexible CS patients reported lowered pain (by 1 to 9 grades). Patients' age did not influence the comfort of the flexible CS or the change in pain level.

Conclusions: Flexible CS is better tolerated than rigid cystoscopy by male patients regardless of patients' age.

Keywords: flexible cystoscopy; pain; rigid cystoscopy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of pain descriptions after 1st and 2nd CS in both study groups. The number of patients describing the pain as a given grade is presented on the left
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scatterplot showing no relation of a change in pain perception between 2nd and 1st CS to patients’ age
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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