The role of prostate inflammation in the pathogenesis of urethral strictures occurring after transurethral resections.

OBJECTIVE: To make an extensive evaluation about the effects of histopathological findings acquired from the resection materials of patients who underwent transurethral resection of prostate (TUR-P) due to benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) on postoperative urethral stricture formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among patients who had TUR-P due to BPH and were followed up for minimum 6 months, 51 patients detected to have urethral stricture based on endoscopic imaging were included in the urethral stricture group (Group 1) and 52 patients without urethral stricture were included in the control group (Group 2). The relation between histopathological findings of TURP materials and postoperative stricture occurrence was investigated. RESULTS: No difference in age, prostate volume, operation time and postoperative catheterization time was detected among the groups (p=0.86, p=0.13, p=0.06, p=0.32, respectively). Average time until the urethral stricture diagnosis in the group with urethral stricture was measured as 57.9±27.2 days. In our study, inflammation intensity in peri-urethral, stromal and periglandular areas and intraglandular destruction ratios were higher in urethral stricture group (Group 1) (p=0.048, p=0.3, p=0.03, p=0.01, respectively). Again, it was detected that neutrophil, plasmocyte and eosinophil cell ratios were higher in peri-urethral, stromal and periglandular areas and lymphocyte values were lower compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Acquired data has shown that acute inflammatory attacks may be related to urethral stricture with a mostly chronic inflammation background in the prostate. During histopathological examination of prostate tissue acquired through TURP, especially high peri-urethral neutrophil, plasmocyte and eosinophil cell ratios and intra-glandular destruction ratios are important for predicting postoperative urethral stricture occurrences.