What is transurethral resection of 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.

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.