Extirpation and fulguration of multiple superficial bladder tumour recurrences under intravesical lignocaine anaesthesia.

OBJECTIVE

To register the results, complications and patient acceptance of bladder tumour operations under local anaesthesia.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Intravesical lignocaine was the anaesthesia used in 30 patients with multiple bladder tumour recurrences. The largest tumour was extirpated with large flexible biopsy forceps and the others were fulgurated.

RESULTS

All visible tumours were extirpated or fulgurated except in one patient, where the operation had to be terminated due to unsatisfactory anaesthesia. All left the hospital within 2 h of surgery. Complications were minor and patient acceptance was very high.

CONCLUSION

These operations have previously been performed under spinal anaesthesia in this department and the present modification reduced costs by approximately 70%. Patients who had only minor discomfort associated with routine cystoscopy under urethral anaesthesia were well suited for extirpation and fulguration of multiple small tumours under intravesical lignocaine.