1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP

Pronunciation: pronunciation varies by local usage.

Generic name
glycine
Drug class
Sterile hypotonic nonelectrolyte aqueous urologic irrigant
Form
Sterile, nonpyrogenic aqueous 1.5% glycine solution in a single-dose container
Route
Urologic irrigation during transurethral surgical procedures
Legal status
Prescription-only medicine

Availability and supply rules vary by country

Trade names by country: United States · Canada

Australia: · Full directory

What glycine is and how it works

1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP is a sterile, nonpyrogenic, hypotonic, nonelectrolyte aqueous solution used as a urologic irrigant during transurethral surgery. It is not intended for injection by usual parenteral routes. (1)

This is a clinician-administered surgical irrigant, not a patient-selected bladder or urinary treatment. Questions about a planned transurethral procedure should be discussed with the surgical or urology team.

Mechanism of action: how glycine works

The supplied label identifies the product as a sterile, nonpyrogenic, hypotonic, nonelectrolyte aqueous 1.5% glycine solution for urologic irrigation. Further pharmacology information is not established in the supplied notes. (1)

What glycine is used for

Urologic irrigation during transurethral surgery

The US label uses 1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP for urologic irrigation during transurethral surgical procedures, including transurethral prostatic or bladder surgery. (1)

Before taking glycine

Do not take / not appropriate for

  • Do not use 1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP in a person with anuria. (US labelled product) (1)
  • This solution must not be injected by usual parenteral routes. (US labelled product) (1)

Tell your clinician about

  • Severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
  • Severe renal dysfunction.
  • All medicines and products that may be relevant to the planned procedure, including any proposed additive, because additives may be incompatible.
(1)

How to take glycine

  • 1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP is for clinician-only use with appropriate transurethral urologic instrumentation.
  • The surgeon determines the irrigation volume during the procedure.
  • This page does not provide a patient dose, procedure protocol, equipment setting, additive recipe, or home-use instruction.
  • Do not use this product for self-treatment, self-catheter care, injection, or home bladder irrigation.
(1)

Procedures and treatment changes

Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1)

Missed dose

Not applicable: this is an intra-procedural, clinician-administered urologic irrigant. The supplied label does not provide a patient missed-dose plan.

Overdose

There is no patient overdose instruction for this clinician-administered irrigant. During transurethral procedures, substantial fluid can enter systemic circulation; any suspected excess absorption or complication requires immediate assessment and management by the surgical and peri-operative care team. (1)

Side effects

The template grouping below does not indicate that these effects are common or expected. Label material reports them as possible complications when irrigation fluid is absorbed during a transurethral procedure. They are not a prediction for an individual and require peri-operative clinical assessment.

Fluid and electrolyte disorders

What to notice: Reported effects include acidosis, electrolyte loss, marked diuresis, urinary retention, oedema, and dehydration.

What to do: These are clinician-assessed peri-operative complications; the surgical and peri-operative care team should manage concerns. (1)

Gastrointestinal, neurologic, or skin effects

What to notice: Reported effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, vertigo, visual disturbance, and urticaria.

What to do: These possible absorbed-irrigant complications require assessment by the responsible clinical team in the procedural setting. (1)

Cardiopulmonary effects after absorbed irrigation fluid

What to notice: Pulmonary congestion, hypotension, tachycardia, angina-like pain, or thrombophlebitis have been reported.

What to do: The surgical and peri-operative care team should assess and manage suspected complications promptly. (1)

Neurologic or metabolic complications reported in the literature

What to notice: Reported complications include hyponatraemia, hyperammonaemia, transient blindness, convulsions, and coma.

What to do: These require urgent clinician assessment and management in the appropriate care setting. (1)

Serious warnings

Systemic absorption during transurethral procedures — serious

Symptoms: Substantial irrigation fluid can enter systemic circulation and may affect cardiopulmonary and renal dynamics. Reported complications include fluid or electrolyte disorders, pulmonary congestion, hypotension, tachycardia, visual disturbance, convulsions, and coma.

Action: This is a peri-operative clinician-only risk. The surgical and peri-operative care team must monitor and manage suspected absorbed-irrigant complications. (1)

Severe cardiopulmonary or renal dysfunction — serious

Symptoms: The label advises caution because absorbed irrigation fluid can affect cardiopulmonary and renal dynamics.

Action: The surgical/urology team should assess the planned procedure and irrigant use in the context of severe cardiopulmonary or renal dysfunction. (1)

Interactions

Medicine or testEffectAction
Additives to the irrigation solutionThe label states that additives may be incompatible.The responsible clinician should consult a pharmacist about proposed additives. This page does not provide an interaction checker or additive instructions. (1)

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The supplied label does not establish a pregnancy or breastfeeding recommendation. Questions about a planned procedure should be discussed with the surgical/urology team. (1)

Children and adolescents

The supplied label does not establish a general paediatric dosing or use guide. Any use is determined by the responsible surgical team and the current product information. (1)

People with severe cardiopulmonary or renal dysfunction

The label advises caution because fluid absorption during transurethral procedures can affect cardiopulmonary and renal dynamics. Assessment is clinician-led. (1)

Monitoring

Before starting

  • Confirm that the intended use is urologic irrigation during an appropriate transurethral surgical procedure.
  • Assess anuria, severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction, severe renal dysfunction, and relevant planned additives.
  • Use the current exact product label and institutional peri-operative procedures.

During treatment

  • The surgeon determines irrigation volume and procedure parameters.
  • Monitor and manage fluid absorption and associated cardiopulmonary, renal, fluid, electrolyte, neurologic, and visual complications according to peri-operative clinical practice.
  • Consult a pharmacist regarding potential incompatibility of any proposed additive.
(1)

Storage

This is a single-dose container; discard any unused portion. The exact product label controls storage and handling. Public operative preparation or administration instructions are not provided on this page.

Professional information

Clinician-facing context only. Use the current US product label, appropriate transurethral instrumentation, institutional peri-operative procedures, pharmacist input for additives, and clinical judgement.

United States

Indication: Urologic irrigation during transurethral surgical procedures, including transurethral prostatic or bladder surgery

Dose summary: No public dose, irrigation volume, procedure protocol, equipment setting, or additive recipe is displayed. The surgeon determines irrigation volume using the current product label and appropriate transurethral urologic instrumentation.

Renal context: Anuria is a contraindication. Use caution with severe renal dysfunction because substantial fluid can enter systemic circulation during transurethral procedures and affect renal dynamics. (1)

Mechanism of action

Hepatic guidance

Hepatic-impairment guidance is not established in the supplied notes.

Overdose note

No patient overdose regimen is provided. Systemic absorption during transurethral procedures can cause clinically significant complications and requires peri-operative clinician assessment and management. (1)

Frequently asked questions

Is 1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP the same as a glycine supplement?

No. This page concerns a prescription-only, sterile urologic irrigant used during transurethral surgery. It is not guidance for dietary glycine or supplements. (1)

Can 1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP be injected or used at home?

No. The solution must not be injected by usual parenteral routes. It is clinician-administered only with appropriate transurethral urologic instrumentation and is not for home treatment or self-catheter care. (1)

What should I do if I have questions before a planned procedure?

Discuss the planned procedure, including the intended irrigant and relevant health conditions or medicines, with the surgical or urology team. (1)

What is the mechanism of action of glycine?

The supplied label identifies the product as a sterile, nonpyrogenic, hypotonic, nonelectrolyte aqueous 1.5% glycine solution for urologic irrigation. Further pharmacology information is not established in the supplied notes. (1)

What is the generic name of 1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP?

The generic name is glycine. (1)

What class of drug is glycine?

1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP is classed as: Sterile hypotonic nonelectrolyte aqueous urologic irrigant. (1)

References

  1. 1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP — current FDA label displayDailyMed / U.S. National Library of Medicine · United States · dated 2025-10-21 · accessed 2026-07-22 · source 1
  2. PROSOL (VALINE, LYSINE, HISTIDINE, ISOLEUCINE, LEUCINE, PHENYLALANINE, THREONINE, METHIONINE, TRYPTOPHAN, ALANINE, GLYCINE, ARGININE, PROLINE, GLUTAMIC ACID, SERINE, ASPARTIC ACID AND TYROSINE) INJECTION, SOLUTION [BAXTER HEALTHCARE CORPORATION] — US prescribing information (DailyMed SPL)U.S. National Library of Medicine (DailyMed) · US · accessed 2026-08-14 · source 2
  3. glycine — RxNorm normalized drug concept (RXCUI 1311532)U.S. National Library of Medicine (RxNorm) · US · accessed 2026-08-14 · source 3

Brand names by country

Single-ingredient glycine names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.

Priority countries

United States

  • 1.5% Glycine Irrigation, USP (1)current regulator label · 1.5% · See current FDA prescribing information

Canada

  • GLYCINE IRRIGATION
  • GLYCINE 1.5% IRRIGATION
  • GLYCINE 1.5% IRRIGATION USP SOL
View brands in additional countries.