Intravesical treatment of severe bacillus Calmette-Guerin cystitis.

OBJECTIVE

Intravesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is an established treatment of carcinoma in situ and recurrent superficial bladder tumours. The inflammatory reaction due to BCG provokes cystitis of short duration as a frequent side effect. When the symptomatology is severe and long-lasting, different systemic treatments have been administered with varying degrees of efficacy.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

We have studied the treatment of severe BCG cystitis with a anaesthetic anti-inflammatory solution administered by intravesical instillations to 16 patients.

RESULTS

Good results were obtained in 94% of the cases, with immediate clinical improvement in terms of pain and urinary symptoms, and with no side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

This treatment is inexpensive and easy to administer. We consider that it offers a useful option to solve an infrequent but very annoying problem for the patients.