Gross hematuria is determined by being able to visually see “blood in urine” which is the most commonly understood and reported hematuric event. When someone sees red urine, pink urine or red blood clots in their urine it immediately alerts them to a possible serious medical problem. While it takes just 1/1000 of a liter for blood to be seen in urine it is also a sign that chances are it is not from your kidneys but from your bladder or urethra.

Gross hematuria often comes from cystitis, and urethritis these inflammatory infections have a tendency to flare up in the presence of recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs). Young women have higher incidence of UTI then other populations. A culture will be grown from the urine sample and if bacteria are the cause, then a test to determine which antibiotic will remove the offending bacteria is performed. This simple procedure will not only help show to stop the infection from spreading to the upper urinary tract (the kidneys), or even worse to the blood system (Bacteremia), but it also rules out much more damaging diseases. Accompanying symptoms of UTI include fever, painful urination, cloudy urine, frequent urination, and bladder spasms.

Blood that comes out in the beginning of the stream suggests the source is from the urethra and when it comes at the end of the stream the likelihood is the bladder neck or trigone of the bladder. While blood coming from prostatitis, as a general rule, is difficult to pin down due to its etiology and proximity to the urethra and bladder neck/trigone.

Gross hematuria needs to be investigated as soon as it is discovered since advanced cancer may be one of the causes. Microhematuria can be retested to confirm a diagnosis but gross hematuria needs no other occurrences for diagnostic tests to precede forward.

Gross hematuria is to be expected after prostate removal, transurethral resection of the prostate, pyeloplasty, cystectomy, nephrectomy, bladder surgery for bladder tumor, erectile dysfunction remedies, green light laser, kidney surgery for kidney tumor, treatment for prostate cancer and prostate cancer surgery.

Gross hematuria may also be seen for a day or two after catheterization, cystoscopy, or a urodynamic study. You will be given pre procedure instructions before any diagnostic or treatment is started. To control hematuria our urologists may give instructions on anticoagulant medications (blood thinners) such as aspirin or Coumadin that you may be taking. Once the diagnostic test or treatment procedure is over our urologist will once again give instructions about taking your anticoagulant medications. These instructions are both standard and coordinated with your primary and specialist medical practitioners.