Endourologic management of virtually impassable urethral stricture

ABSTRACT

Fifty patients with hardly passable or impassable [obliterated] urethral stricture were endourologically managed to get a patent urethra. These strictures, were either post inflammatory [38 cases] or post-traumatic in [12 cases]. A guide wire was introduced [through passable strictures] in retrograde or antegrade directions. Then, visual urethrotomy or guided dilatation by graduated teflon dilators [up to 20 F] followed by blind urethrotomy was performed. Light guide or a curved sound tip were aligned [under fluoroscopy] with the urethrotome peak on both ends of the stricture to guide cutting in cases of complete urethral obliteration. Follow up of those patients for 18 months revealed good results in term of unobstructed flow with no residual urine [in 40 patients]. Revision urethrotomy was necessary in 8 patients and open urethroplasty was performed for 2 patients