What is transurethral resection of the bladder?

Transurethral resection of the bladder is a surgery to remove abnormal tissue (tumor) from the bladder through the urethra. It is also called transurethral resection of bladder tumor, or TURBT.

A tumor in the bladder may be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). This surgery uses a special tool to find and remove a tumor from the bladder. A small sample (biopsy) of the lining of the bladder may also be taken. Any removed tissue will be checked for cancer cells.

The doctor will put a thin, lighted tool into your urethra. This tool is called a cystoscope or scope. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. The doctor will gently guide the scope into your bladder. Your bladder will then be filled with fluid. This stretches the bladder so that your doctor can clearly see the inside of your bladder. Your doctor will use small tools through the scope to take out and/or burn away any abnormal tissue.

Activity

• Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover.
• Try to walk each day. Start by walking a little more than you did the day before. Bit by bit, increase the amount you walk. Walking boosts blood flow and helps prevent pneumonia and constipation.
• Avoid strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, for about 3 weeks, or until your doctor says it is okay.
• For about 3 weeks, avoid lifting anything that would make you strain. This may include heavy grocery bags and milk containers, a heavy briefcase or backpack, cat litter or dog food bags, a vacuum cleaner, or a child.
• Ask your doctor when you can drive again.
• You may shower and take baths when your doctor says it is okay.
• Ask your doctor when it is okay for you to have sex.

Diet

• You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.
• Drink plenty of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to).

Medicines

• Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. He or she will also give you instructions about taking any new medicines.
• If you stopped taking aspirin or some other blood thinner, your doctor will tell you when to start taking it again.
• Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
  • If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
  • If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
• If you think your pain medicine is making you sick to your stomach:
  • Take your medicine after meals (unless your doctor has told you not to).
  • Ask your doctor for a different pain medicine.
• If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.

This surgery may be done to find out if a bladder tumor is cancer. If the tumor is cancer, removing it is the most common and effective treatment for early-stage bladder cancer. It may also be effective for more advanced cancer if all the cancer is removed and biopsies show that no cancer remains.

Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.

Preparing for surgery

• Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
• Understand exactly what surgery is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
• If you take a medicine that prevents blood clots, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it before your surgery. Or your doctor may tell you to keep taking it. (These medicines include aspirin and other blood thinners.) Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
• Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it.
• Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance directive. If you don’t have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It’s a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.

The risks of this surgery include:

• Bleeding.
• Bladder infection (cystitis).
• Perforation of the wall of the bladder.
• Blockage of the urethra by blood clots in the bladder.

Transurethral resection of the bladder is a surgery that removes abnormal tissue (tumor) from the bladder through the urethra. It is also called transurethral resection of bladder tumor, or TURBT.

A tumor in the bladder may be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). This surgery uses a special tool to find and remove a tumor from the bladder. A small sample (biopsy) of the lining of the bladder may also be taken. Any removed tissue will be checked for cancer cells.

This surgery may be done to look for cancer. It is also the most common and effective treatment for early-stage bladder cancer. It may also work well for more advanced cancer if all the cancer can be removed and biopsies show that no cancer cells remain.

You may go home the same day as your surgery or stay in the hospital for an extra day or so. Your doctor may leave a small tube called a catheter in the urethra to help prevent blockage of the urethra. It's often removed before you go home. If not, you'll get instructions on how to care for the catheter.

You may feel the need to urinate often for a while after the surgery. But this should improve with time. It may burn when you urinate. Drink lots of fluids to help with the burning. Your urine also may look pink for up to 2 to 3 weeks after surgery. This is because there may be blood in it.

You may have to avoid strenuous activity and heavy lifting for about 3 weeks after your surgery.

If cancer is found in your bladder, your doctor will talk with you about what will happen next.

You have had a transurethral resection of the bladder. Your doctor removed abnormal tissue.

You may have a small tube called a catheter in your urethra to help prevent blockage of the urethra. When the bleeding from surgery has stopped, the tube is removed. You may go home the same day or stay in the hospital for a day or so.

You may feel the need to urinate frequently for a while after the surgery, but this should improve with time. It may burn when you urinate. Drink lots of fluids to help with the burning. Your urine also may look pink for up to 2 to 3 weeks after surgery. This is because there may be blood in it.

You may have to avoid strenuous activity and heavy lifting for about 3 weeks after your surgery.

• Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating and drinking. If you don't, your surgery may be canceled. If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of surgery, take them with only a sip of water.
• Take a bath or shower before you come in for your surgery. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.
• Take off all jewelry and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.

At the hospital or surgery center

• Bring a picture ID.
• You will be kept comfortable and safe by your anesthesia provider. You will be asleep during the surgery.
• The surgery will take from 15 minutes to 1 hour.

This surgery can be used to diagnose, stage, and treat bladder cancer.

• Diagnosis. It is used to examine the inside of the bladder to see if abnormal tissue (tumors) in the bladder are cancer.
• Staging. This surgery can find out if cancer is growing into the bladder wall.
• Treatment. One or more small tumors can be removed from inside the bladder during this surgery.

Your doctor will give you medicine to make you sleep or feel relaxed. You will not feel pain.

The doctor will put a thin, lighted tool called a cystoscope, or scope, into your urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. Then the doctor will gently guide the scope into your bladder. Your bladder will then be filled with fluid. This stretches the bladder so that your doctor can clearly see the inside of your bladder. Your doctor will use small surgical tools through the scope to remove and/or burn away any abnormal tissue that is found.