Urethroplasties for male urethral strictures: Success rates and predictive factors

Abstract

Urethroplasty has reported success rates ranging from 60 to 98%. Predictive factors for recurrence are rarely studied, postoperative urinary drainage modalities are not investigated. The primary objective was to evaluate the success rate of urethroplasty in our center. Secondary objectives were to identify recurrence predictive factors. A single-center retrospective cohort including men treated with urethroplasty for stricture between 2007-2017, followed up for a minimum of 12 months. Recurrence was defined as the necessity of a new procedure (endo-urethral or surgical). Data from penile urethra (SUP) and bulbo-membranous urethra (SUBM) stenosis were analyzed separately. Recurrence-free survival (success) was analyzed according to the Kaplan-Meier model. The characteristics of the patients, the stenosis, the surgical technique, the modalities of postoperative urinary drainage were analyzed in subgroups for the bulbo-membranous urethra looking for a correlation with recurrence. A total of 103 patients included: 25 with SUP, 78 with SUBM. The overall success rate was 69%, CI95% [60-79] with a mean follow-up of 62.85 months. The success was 68%, CI95%[46-82] for SUP, 69.23%, CI95% [58-78] for SUBM. Recurrences occurred during the first 12 months. Only postoperative suprapubic urinary drainage was a predictive factor (HR=0.947, CI95% [0.905-0.992]). A period longer than 14 days reduced recurrence by 37%. Urethroplasty had a success rate of 69%, comparable to published series. Suprapubic urinary drainage improved the surgery outcomes. 2, Grade B.