Transurethral fluorescence cystoscopy guidance for total resection of bladder tumor

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to investigate the total resection of bladder tumor under transurethral fluorescence cystoscopy. Nineteen patients with bladder tumor, from which we resected a total of 26 tumors, including 16 single tumors with diameters of 0.5~2 cm, were enrolled in the study. All tumors were located in the posterior wall or neck of the bladder. For the surgery, the size and location of tumors in the bladder were observed by fluorescence cystoscopy. Then, plasma electrocision was used to cut the full-thickness of the bladder to the fat outside of the bladder along the near-end of the tumor, then along the left and right side of bladder (to the far-end), and the full-thickness of the tumor was resected. Finally, the far-end tumor was removed and the full-thickness of the bladder at the bottom was completely resected. All operations were completed successfully within 10-40 min. There was little bleeding during surgery and no secondary bleeding after surgery. Tumor staging found 17 patients at T1 stage (20 tumors) and 2 patients at T2 stage (6 tumors). Patients were followed up for 6~12 months without any recurrence. We show here that total resection of bladder tumor can be accomplished under transurethral fluorescence cystoscopy and preventative resection can be conducted on the suspicious bladder wall with precision to eliminate tumor residue that promotes recurrence.