At the Hospital
The patient may have a fine, rubber tube or catheter passing into the bladder through the front passage. This is to assist the patient to pass the urine freely that can be a bit difficult after a surgical operation such as urethroscopy. There are times that the catheter needs to be flushed out to keep the urine flowing properly. The patient may be given oxygen through the facemask for a few hours if the patient has had chest problems in the past. There may be some slight discomfort or pain in the portions of the body where the instruments have been inserted or introduced. The patient will not normally need painkillers. The sensation leaves after a day or two. Nonetheless, if the patient feels that the pain cannot be tolerated, ask for help from the attending medical doctors or nurses. Painkiller tablets can usually aid but rarely that an injection will be required. A general anesthetic will cause the patient to be slow, clumsy, and scatty or forgetful for about 24 hours. The nurses will help the patient with every necessary thing that needs to be done until the patient is able to do things on his or her own. The patient is advised not make important decisions, drive a car, use machinery, or even boil a kettle during this time.

If there is no catheter, the patient should be able to pass urine before leaving the hospital. If the patient cannot pass urine, immediately notify the doctors and the nurses. If there is a catheter, the urine drains out automatically. The catheter will be taken out when the urine is clear and when it is safe to do so. After that the patient will be checked to determine if the urine is passing properly. It is a good idea to drink extra glasses of water daily compared to the usual number of glasses being engulfed by the patient. The patient is encouraged to carry this out for a week after the operation. This will help in cleaning the urine.

The patient will be given an appointment for the outpatient department, or will get a schedule for any repeat operation. Some hospitals arrange a check-up about one month after the patient left the hospital. By then the results of the biopsies should be ready. Others leave check-ups to the general practitioner. The nurses will advise about sick notes, certificates, among others.
At Home
The patient may feel tired for a day or two after the surgical operation. The patient is warned not to drive within 24 hours after the anesthetic. The patient can start sexual relations within two to three days of the operation as long as the feeling is comfortable. The patient should be able to return to work one to two days after leaving the hospital.

Recovery
The recovery time after a urethroscopy is about one or two days. A relatively safe procedure, there are not many healthcare complications associated with a urethroscopy, although some patients might experience slight bleeding for a day or two. Any infections are taken care of with antibiotic therapy. In extremely rare cases, the telescope or other instruments that are inserted inside may cause a scratch or perforation in the bladder or urethra. This complication is usually resolved by inserting a catheter for about a week or two to help the scratch heal.