Hydrostatic pressure technique and intravesical instillation of formalin: new methods for the control of severe bleeding from the bladder

Abstract

Intractable haemorrhages of the bladder in consequence of wide-spread tumours or of haemorrhagic cystitis secondary to radiation therapy involve serious therapeutic problems. Failure of the conventional therapy to bring the haemorrhage under control imposes more active measures so as to avert the danger of exsanguination. The condition of the patients is, however, generally incompatible with major surgery. In this situation the authors resorted to the hydrostatic pressure technique and to intravesical instillations of formalin. Their observations with these procedures are reported.