Urethrocystoscopy is a standard procedure in urology that is used to diagnose diseases of the lower urinary tract. It is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure in which a cystoscope is used to enter through the urethra and examine the mucosa of both the urethra and the bladder. Through it, operators are also able to perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on the upper urinary tract. There are a number of indications, but also some contraindications for its implementation. Macroscopic hematuria (blood in the urine), suspected bladder carcinoma, and preoperative examination of the prostate gland before TUR or open surgery are among the most common indications for cystoscopy. In addition, it is used as a control examination after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma, examination of ureteral ostiums in case of suspicion of vesicoureteral reflux or ureterocele. It is used in the examination of the urinary bladder in case of specific and non-specific cystitis, in case of urinary incontinence, stricture of the urethra and in the case of examination of foreign bodies in the urethra and bladder. Ureterocystoscopy is the appropriate method for performing therapeutic procedures affecting the upper urinary tract. Including extraction of a stone from the ureter, surgical treatment of a tumor of the upper segments of the excretory system or placement of a ureteral stent. Contraindications for conducting ureterocystoscopy are relatively few, including acute infection of the urinary tract – prostatitis, urethritis and orchiepididymitis. The septic condition of patients also requires initial debridement or control of the infection before the endoscopic procedure is performed. Ureterocystoscopy for diagnostic purposes is performed in outpatient settings. In most cases, only local anesthesia is used in the form of a gel applied into the urethra. In rarer cases, it is necessary to use a short intravenous or spinal anesthesia. The technique allows for two approaches – rigid and flexible cystoscopy. Flexible cystoscopy uses a thin (the diameter of a pencil) and bendable cystoscope. It is most often performed with the patient awake, with local anesthesia. Rigid cystoscopy uses a rigid and non-bendable cystoscope. It is usually preferred for longer procedures, requiring patients to be under general or spinal anesthesia. The risks of cystoscopy are most often the result of incorrect technical performance. Possible complications can be damage to the urethral epithelium, rupture of the urethra, formation of a false course, perforation of the bladder, introduction of infection. A distant and rare complication, mainly with an aggressive approach, is the formation of urethral stricture. It is quite normal and expected, given the external intervention, that after cystoscopy for several hours patients experience burning in the urethral canal and false urges to urinate.Also post-procedural, the appearance of mild hematuria (bleeding) is possible due to the tactile irritation of the wall of the urethra and bladder. Regardless of the sterile conditions under which the cystoscopy is performed, prophylactic administration of an antibiotic is desirable to prevent the development of inflammatory processes. Usually, if there are no complications, a single dose of a broad-spectrum antibiotic is recommended the evening after the procedure. In case of more serious complications, long-term antibiotic therapy is required. References: Urology, edited by Prof. P. Panchev