Bedford Regional Urology

Bedford Regional Urology performs a wide range of diagnostic tests and corrective procedures both in-office and at our affiliate hospitals. For your convenience, we have included the following general pain instructions, as well as brief overviews and aftercare information for some of the procedures we most often perform. Please consult with your doctor for specific medical advice.

Pain Instructions

  • Take all remaining antibiotics from your current prescription.
  • After leaving our office, go home and rest. No straining or heavy lifting today. If you are feeling normal tomorrow, you can resume normal activities.
  • Take Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin): 3 over-the-counter tablets every 6 hours around the clock for the next day. Take this even if you are pain-free
  • Do not take Tylenol or Acetaminophen.
  • If prescribed pain medication, you may take as needed in addition to the ibuprofen. We recommend staggering pain medications, so you are taking a pain medication every 3 hours. For example, take ibuprofen at 9 a.m., prescription at noon, ibuprofen at 3 p.m., prescription at 6 p.m., and so on.
  • Drink 6-8 glasses of water today.

Over-the-Counter Medication

Ibuprofen/Advil 200mg – ONLY IF NOT ALLERGIC TO NSAIDS AND ABLE TO TAKE THEM

  • Take 3 tablets (600mg) every 6 hours as needed.
  • Take with milk or food to protect stomach.

Urinary Pain Relief/Phenazopyridine (Azo) 95mg

  • Take 2 tablets 3 times per day as needed.

If you are unable to void within 8 hours, call the doctor or go to the Emergency Room

  • You may call East Freedom Surgical until 4:30 p.m. the day of your procedure. After 4:30 p.m., all calls need to be made to the Bedford office.
  • You can reach on-call service by calling the Bedford office.

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Bladder Biopsy with Cystoscopy

A bladder biopsy is a diagnostic surgical procedure in which your doctor removes cells or tissue from your bladder to be tested in a laboratory. Cystoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the lining of your bladder and the tube that carries urine out of your body (urethra). The type of cystoscopy you’ll have depends on the reason for your procedure.

What to expect:

  • Bleeding. Cystoscopy might cause some blood in your urine. Serious bleeding occurs rarely.
  • Pain. You might experience abdominal pain and a burning sensation when urinating. These symptoms are generally mild and gradually decrease after the procedure.

Call your doctor if you have:

  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).
  • Difficulty urinating.
  • Prolonged or heavy bleeding in urine.
  • Pain that is progressively worse.

The physician will notify you of results at a later time.

Circumcision

Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin, the tissue covering the head of the penis.

After Surgery:

  • Avoid strenuous exercise or heavy lifting as advised by physician.
  • Showers only, avoid soaking in bathtub.
  • Do not have sex until given approval by physician.
  • Change dressing as advised by physician.
  • You may have blood in urine for the first few days.

Incision Care:

Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Apply an antibacterial ointment to the incision.

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).
  • Red, swollen, warm to touch at incision site.
  • Heavy drainage from the incision.
  • Worsening pain or swelling from incision.

Cystoscopy

Cystoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the lining of your bladder and the tube that carries urine out of your body (urethra). The type of cystoscopy you’ll have depends on the reason for your procedure.

Complications of cystoscopy can include:

  • Infection. Rarely, cystoscopy can introduce germs into your urinary tract, causing an infection. To prevent infection, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics to take before and after your cystoscopy. Risk factors for developing a urinary tract infection after cystoscopy include advanced age, smoking, and unusual anatomy in your urinary tract.
  • Bleeding. Cystoscopy might cause some blood in your urine. Serious bleeding occurs rarely.
  • Pain. You might experience abdominal pain and a burning sensation when urinating. These symptoms are generally mild and gradually decrease after the procedure.

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • An inability to urinate after cystoscopy.
  • Bright red blood or heavy blood clots in your urine.
  • Pain or burning during urination that lasts more than two days.
  • Abdominal pain and nausea.
  • Chills.
  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).

Hydrocelectomy

A hydrocele is a painless buildup of watery fluid around one or both testicles that causes the scrotum or groin area to swell. Hydrocelectomy is surgery to remove a hydrocele. The doctor made a very small incision in your scrotum to drain the fluid from the hydrocele and to remove the fluid-filled sac.

After Surgery:

  • You may feel more tired than usual and have some mild groin pain for several days. You groin and scrotum may be swollen or bruised. This usually gets better in 2 to 3 weeks.
  • You may take over-the-counter pain medicine to alleviate pain.
  • Avoid strenuous exercise or heavy lifting as advised by your physician.
  • You may or may not have a drain after surgery. This will be removed by the physician or staff.
  • Showers only, avoid soaking in a bathtub.
  • Do not use any lotions, creams, powders other than the antibacterial ointment during incision care.

Incision Care:

Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Apply an antibacterial ointment to the incision.

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).
  • Red, swollen, warm to touch at incision site.
  • Heavy drainage from the incision site.
  • Worsening pain or swelling from incision.

Foley Catheter Care

  • First, clean the catheter from where it enters your body; then proceed to clean the remaining tubing from top to bottom. Hold the catheter at the point where it enters your body to prevent pulling or removal of Foley catheter.
  • Rinse and dry areas well.
  • Always keep the collection bag below your waist when standing or sitting. When sleeping, keep collection bag below level of body.
  • Always empty when collection bag is half full.
  • Never attempt to remove Foley catheter on your own.

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • Red blood or heavy blood clots in your collection bag.
  • Abdominal pain and nausea.
  • Chills.
  • If Foley catheter is not draining, continuously leaking around insertion site, or if Foley catheter comes out (Never attempt to reinsert Foley catheter on your own).
  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).

Retrograde Pyelogram

A retrograde pyelogram is an imaging test that uses X-rays to look at your bladder, ureters, and kidneys. Retrograde pyelography uses a special dye (“contrast agent”) placed into the ureters. The dye makes the ureters and kidneys more easily seen on the x-ray.

Side Effects:

The major risk is a reaction to the iodine-based dye. Minor reactions include hot flashes, nausea and vomiting. These can often be treated well with antihistamines. There’s also a chance of urinary tract infection or pain.

In very rare cases, more severe reactions can occur. These include:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Low blood pressure
  • Swelling of the mouth or throat
  • Heart attack

Be sure to tell your doctor and the radiologist about your history with allergies.

Scrotal Lesion Excision

Removal of any suspicious or non-suspicious growth on the scrotum.

After Surgery:

  • You may feel more tired than usual and have some mild groin pain for several days.
  • Your groin and scrotum may be swollen or bruised. This usually gets better in 2 to 3 weeks. You may take over-the-counter pain medicine to alleviate pain.
  • Avoid strenuous exercise or heavy lifting as advised by physician.
  • Showers only, avoid soaking in a bathtub.

Site Care:

Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Apply an antibacterial ointment or Vaseline to the site(s).

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).
  • Red, swollen, warm to touch at incision site.
  • Heavy drainage from the incision.
  • Worsening pain or swelling from incision.

If a sample was sent to be analyzed the physician will notify you of results at a later time.

Stent Insertion

A ureteral stent is a thin tube that’s placed in your ureter to help drain urine from your kidney.

Possible Side Effects of Stents:

  • Blood in the urine. This can be tea-colored, pink, or bright red; you may even notice some clots. The blood may come and go while you have the stent; this is normal.
  • Discomfort. There can be flank, side, or back pain due to the stent. It may be worse with movement. There are medicines that can help you with pain management.
  • Urinary urgency and frequency. You may notice you have to urinate very quickly and very often. There are medications to alleviate these symptoms; please discuss this with your provider. You may also experience burning with urination with a stent.

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • An inability to urinate.
  • Bright red blood or heavy blood clots in your urine.
  • Abdominal pain and nausea.
  • Chills.
  • Pain or burning during urination that lasts more than two days.
  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).

Stent Removal

Stents are removed during a procedure called a cystoscopy; a cystoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the bladder, ureters, and remove stents.

Complications of a stent removal can include:

  • Infection. Rarely, cystoscopy can introduce germs into your urinary tract, causing an infection. To prevent infection, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics to take before and after your cystoscopy. Risk factors for developing a urinary tract infection after cystoscopy include advanced age, smoking, and unusual anatomy in your urinary tract.
  • Bleeding. Cystoscopy might cause some blood in your urine. Serious bleeding occurs rarely.
  • Pain. You might experience abdominal pain and a burning sensation when urinating. These symptoms are generally mild and gradually decrease after the procedure.

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • An inability to urinate after the procedure.
  • Bright red blood or heavy blood clots in your urine.
  • Abdominal pain and nausea.
  • Chills.
  • Pain or burning with urination that lasts more than two days.
  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).

Suprapubic Catheter Insertion

A suprapubic catheter is a device that’s inserted into your bladder to drain urine if you can’t urinate on your own. A suprapubic catheter is inserted a couple of inches below your navel, or belly button, directly into your bladder, just above your pubic bone. This allows urine to be drained without having a tube going through your genital area.

Do:

  • Drink 8 to 12 glasses of water every day.
  • Empty your urine bag several times a day.
  • Wash your hands whenever you handle your urine bag.
  • Clean the insertion area with hot water twice a day.
  • Turn your catheter when you clean it so that it doesn’t stick to your bladder.
  • Keep any dressings on the area until the insertion area is healed.
  • Tape the catheter tube to your body so it doesn’t slip or pull.
  • Eat foods to help you avoid constipation, such as fiber, fruits, and vegetables.
  • Continue any regular sexual activity.

Don’t:

  • Don’t use any powders or creams around the insertion area.
  • Don’t take baths or immerse your insertion area in water for a long time.
  • Don’t shower without covering the area with a waterproof dressing.
  • Don’t reinsert the catheter yourself if it falls out.

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • Bright red blood or heavy blood clots in your collection bag.
  • Abdominal pain and nausea.
  • Chills.
  • If suprapubic catheter is not draining, continuously leaking around insertion site or if suprapubic catheter comes out (Never attempt to reinsert suprapubic catheter on your own).
  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).

Transperineal Prostate Biopsy

A prostate biopsy is a procedure to remove samples of suspicious tissue from the prostate. During a transperineal prostate biopsy a needle is inserted through the transperineal area and used to collect several tissue samples from your prostate gland.

After the Procedure:

  • Light activities for 24 to 48 hours after your prostate biopsy.

You might:

  • Feel slight soreness and have some light bleeding from your transperineal area.
  • Have blood in your urine for a few days.
  • Notice that your semen has a red or rust-colored tint caused by a small amount of blood in your semen. This can last for several weeks.

Call your doctor if you have:

  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).
  • Difficulty urinating.
  • Prolonged or heavy bleeding from penis or transperineal area.
  • Pain that gets worse.

Urethral Dilation

A thin instrument is inserted into the urethra to stretch it. The urethra is the tube that carries urine out of the body from the bladder.

Complications can include:

  • Bleeding. Cystoscopy might cause some blood in your urine. Serious bleeding occurs rarely.
  • Pain. You might experience abdominal pain and a burning sensation when urinating. These symptoms are generally mild and gradually decrease after the procedure.

Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:

  • An inability to urinate.
  • Bright red blood or heavy blood clots in your urine.
  • Abdominal pain and nausea.
  • Chills.
  • A fever higher than 101.4 F (38.5 C).
  • Pain or burning during urination that lasts more than two days.