Bladder Tumour Removal

The most common type of bladder cancer is caused by the uncontrolled growth of the cells lining the bladder wall. If the cancer hasn't grown from the bladder lining into the muscle of the bladder it is called superficial or non-muscle invasive. Superficial bladder cancer can be treated by removing it from the bladder wall. The procedure is called transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT).

TURBT is normally performed under general anaesthetic and requires a hospital stay of one to two days. A thin, rigid, tube-like telescope called a cystoscope is carefully passed into your urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside) and into the bladder. A camera lens at the end of the cystoscope sends pictures from the inside of your bladder to a video monitor. Your surgeon will look at these images to locate the unusual growth or tumours on the bladder wall.

Your surgeon will insert a special wire loop through the cystoscope and pass an electric current down the wire loop. The electric current is used to cut or burn off the growth/tumour and a border of healthy tissue around it. The electric current seals the wound so stitches are not needed.