Practical cystoscopy: care of the instruments and preparation for a cystoscopic examination.

Periodically, a look at the past helps health care professionals see how much practice has changed as well as how some concepts and practices remain similar to the original rationales and techniques. Two chapters from a 1911 textbook on cystoscopy have been reprinted that describe catheter and instrument care and preprocedure requirements for cystoscopy performed in the hospital, office, or home. Sterilization methods and instruments for cystoscopy have improved in the century since this book was written but the rationale for the procedure and concepts guiding the instrumentation have some similarity with the practices performed nearly 100 years ago. Some comments also provide a bit of comic relief. One example, "this undoubtedly shortens the life of the catheter, but it lengthens the life of the patient" appears in the discussion about catheter cleaning after use in a pus case.