The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1W 8RH London
Bladder instillations
TREATMENT FOR A PAINFUL BLADDER
If you're experiencing severe bladder pain, we can help by injecting liquid medicine into your bladder
About bladder instillations
Conditions like interstitial cystitis (inflammation of the bladder wall) or recurrent urine infections can sometimes lead to severe bladder pain.
If you're experiencing it, we can instill (inject) liquid medication into your bladder to help relieve your symptoms.
Need to know
Your consultant urologist will insert an antiseptic gel into your urethra (waterpipe) to numb it. They'll then pass a catheter (soft, thin tube) into your bladder. After emptying it of any remaining urine, they'll instill (inject) a liquid medication into your bladder to treat the pain.
You'll be asked to limit your fluid intake prior to your treatment. When you arrive at the clinic, we'll ask you to pass urine, which we'll test for infection. If your urine is clear, your urologist will briefly review your history and medications. They'll also explain the procedure and answer any questions you might have. Like all procedures, there may be some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you. Your consultant will inform you on how many instillation you will require on a once weekly basis.
After removing your catheter, we'll ask you to not pass any urine for at least 30 minutes (possibly 90 minutes) to allow the medication to treat the entire bladder lining. Your consultant will let you know when you can get back to your usual routine, including work or exercise.
Our Bladder instillations locations
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.