There are several medical reasons your doctor may perform a bladder distention. If you have a history of cystitis, bladder or pelvic pain or if you recently developed symptoms of pain and/or incontinence, this diagnostic procedure will allow your doctor to view the lining of the bladder or perform a biopsy. Bladder distention also may help your doctor determine if you have bladder cancer or urinary difficulties due to prostate inflammation.
The Procedure
Distention of the bladder is performed either in a doctor's office or while another surgical procedure is being done. Usually some kind of sedation is used, as bladder distention may be uncomfortable. The doctor inserts a cystoscope through the urethra to fill the bladder with gas or liquid and then uses the cystoscope's camera to view and photograph the interior lining of the bladder. Biopsies of the bladder lining also can be taken at this time if they are warranted.
The Results
Bladder distention may help diagnose several conditions. Imagery can show the conditions of the bladder's lining and wall, including thickening or stiffness. It will reveal the presence of inflammation, Hunner's ulcers or glomerulations (pinpoint hemorrhages seen only when the bladder is stretched). Many of these findings are consistent with a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis (IC). Biopsies also may show whether cancer is present.
Insterstitial Cystitis (IC)
Insterstitial cystitis is a chronic condition in which the patient may suffer from any of several symptoms, including chronic bladder or pelvic pain, the need to urinate more frequently than seven or eight times a day and symptoms that worsen after the consumption of certain foods--most specifically coffee, alcohol and acidic foods. This pain condition may be improved with lifestyle changes and medication, but a cure has not been found at present.
Bladder Distention as Treatment
In some individuals with IC, the act of distention, which stretches the bladder to see the interior, actually may help with the pain and urgency symptoms that are the hallmark of IC. While symptoms may temporarily worsen the first 24 to 48 hours after distention, many patients will find relief from symptoms for two to four weeks after the procedure is done.
Other Conditions
Other conditions that may warrant bladder distention include investigation of blood in the urine (hematuria), frequent urinary tract infections, bladder stones, bladder cancer, urinary incontinence, painful urination and conditions that may block urination, such as enlarged prostate and narrowing of the urinary tract.
