Q: I have kidney stone in my left kidney since past six years and every year the x-ray is done. Stone has not moved and out of 6 visits I made to hospital they found blood stains in my urine, where as urine test I got done through my G.P. did not find this. Consultant in the hospital is keen on putting the camera into my bladder to see if I have a tumour in my bladder or it is kidney stone causing blood to pass with urine. This operation will be performed under local anaesthetic. I have never noticed any blood and consultant says it is not visible. 12 years ago they put camera and cleaned the walls of my bladder as the flow was not good. I am scared of operation as my father died at age of 58 after 2 days from his prostrate operation in a hospital in Delhi. A clot got stuck in his lungs as he was not given blood thinning injection. I also suffer from cramps and cut easily so think that anything can go wrong. I am 48 years old and my date has come for next month. I do not feel any different and still work 12 hours. Please advise.

A:You are known to have a kidney stone. Thus, it does not surprise me at all that you are passing small amounts of blood in urine which is not visible to the naked eye. We call it microscopic haematuria. Even though the stone has not moved over a long period, it may still cause asymptomatic microscopic haematuria. I am not sure why your doctors suspect bladder cancer but I am sure they have a reason which was not given to me in the history. But cystoscopy, when done by experienced hands, is a very safe procedure. I must allay your fears by saying that it is a routine office procedure and carries very small rate of any complications. And, unlike your deceased fathers prostatic surgery it is a minor procedure and not classified as surgery. As far your history being prone to cut easily is concerned, I am sure doctors must have investigated your bleeding tendencies and they will ensure that this does not pose a threat to the planned procedure. So, I suggest you need not be anxious and get these tests done.