Treatment Of Recurrent Urethral Strictures Research Articles

Results of surgical treatment of recurrent urethral strictures of different localization

Results of surgical treatment of recurrent urethral strictures of different localization

A0855 - Evaluation of the quality of life of patients with the SF-36 questionnaire when using platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of recurrent urethral stricture

A0855 - Evaluation of the quality of life of patients with the SF-36 questionnaire when using platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of recurrent urethral stricture

One-Year Outcomes of the ROBUST II Study Evaluating the Use of a Drug-Coated Balloon for Treatment of Urethral Stricture

Objective To report 1-year results of the ROBUST II study investigating the safety and efficacy of a paclitaxel-coated balloon for the treatment of recurrent urethral strictures. Methods Subjects were adult men with a single anterior urethral stricture ≤ 3 cm in length and at least 2 prior stricture treatments. After treatment with the Optilume urethral drug-coated balloon (DCB), subjects were followed through 1 year. The primary safety endpoint was the rate of treatment-related serious complications at 90 days post-procedure. Efficacy outcomes included symptomatic assessments, erectile function measured using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Qmax, and anatomic success. Results Sixteen men with an average of 4.1 prior dilations were treated with the DCB. Anatomic success was achieved at 6 months in 73%. Average IPSS improved from 18.4 to 6.0 at 1 year (P < 0.001). Qmax improved from 6.9 mL/sec to 20.8 mL/sec (P < 0.001). There was no change in IIEF. Four subjects received additional treatment within 1 year. There were no treatment-related serious complications. Conclusions Short-term follow-up of men with urethral stricture treated with the Optilume DCB showed durable anatomic results at 6 months and sustained symptomatic improvement through 1 year. Treatment with the device was safe.

Оценка эффективности оперативного лечения рецидивной стриктуры уретры

INTRODUCTION The recurrent course of the disease stricture is a complex problem for both the patient and the operating surgeon and requires an integrated approach to treatment only in expert centers. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY To assess the effectiveness of methods of surgical treatment of recurrent urethral strictures. MATERIALS AND METHODS At the University Clinic of Urology, Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov, an analysis of the results of surgical treatment of patients with recurrent urethral stricture from 2012 to 2020 was carried out. This work included patients who underwent surgical treatment for recurrent urethral stricture. A total of 120 men were involved in the work. The median length of the stricture was (min-max) - 2 (0.5-16 cm). In 95 (79.1%) patients, stricture of the bulbous urethra, in 15 (12.5%) - in the penile urethra, in 2 (1.7%) patients had panurethral stricture, in 6 (5.0%) - membranous urethra and in 2 (1.7%) - meatus. All patients were divided into two groups: with recurrent urethral stricture after primary DVIU (group I, n=77) and recurrent urethral stricture after primary urethroplasty (group II, n=43). Depending on the method of surgical treatment of recurrent urethral stricture, patients in group I were divided into 4 subgroups. Repeated DVIU + 3 months Autocatheterization - 16 (20.8%) patients; End-to-end urethroplasty - 37 (48.1%) patients; one-stage urethroplasty with a buccal graft or skin graft - 22 (28.6%) patients; multistage urethroplasty or perineostomy - 2 (2.5%) patients. Group II was also divided into 4 subgroups. DVIU - 17 (39.5%) patients; end-to-end urethroplasty - 6 (13.9%) patients; one-stage urethroplasty with a buccal graft or skin graft - 9 (20.9%) patients; multistage urethroplasty - 11 (16.7%) patients. Median Qmax - 4.68 ml/sec. Preoperative cystostomy was observed in 31 (25.8%) patients. RESULTS The median follow-up was 24 months (range 12 to 76 months). Depending on the method of surgical treatment of recurrent urethral stricture, the effectiveness of DVIU according to strict indications was 75.7%. End-to-end urethroplasty showed an efficiency of -88,4%. One-stage augmentation urethroplasty had an efficiency of -77,4%, and multi-stage urethroplasty showed an efficiency of 84.6%. The IPSS value for the observation period 2 years was 2.6+/-0.9 points. The average value of Qmax at the time of observation was 19.4+/-7.1 ml/sec. The effectiveness of the treatment was 82%. During the follow-up period, a relapse was noted in 22 (18%) patients. The overall effectiveness of the treatment of recurrent urethral stricture, taking into account the treatment of recurrent cases of disease recurrence, was 97.5%. CONCLUSIONS Urethroplasty is the treatment of choice for recurrent urethral strictures, which has been shown to be more effective than DVIU. However, the results of urethroplasty for recurrent strictures are worse than for primary strictures.

Endoscopic urethrotomy versus open urethroplasty for men with bulbar urethral stricture: the OPEN randomised trial cost-effectiveness analysis

BackgroundBulbar urethral stricture is a common cause for urinary symptoms in men and its two main treatment options both have drawbacks with little evidence on their relative cost-effectiveness. Current guidelines on the management of recurrent bulbar urethral stricture have been predominantly based on expert opinion and panel consensus.ObjectiveTo assess the relative cost-effectiveness of open urethroplasty and endoscopic urethrotomy as treatment for recurrent urethral stricture in men.MethodsSet in the UK National Health Service with recruitment from 38 hospital sites, a randomised controlled trial of open urethroplasty and endoscopic urethrotomy with 6-monthly follow-up over 24 months was conducted. Two hundred and twenty-two men requiring operative treatment for recurrence of bulbar urethral stricture and having had at least one previous intervention for stricture were recruited. Effectiveness was measured by quality- adjusted life years (QALYs) derived from EQ-5D 5L. Cost-effectiveness was measured by the incremental cost per QALY gained over 24 months using a within trial analysis and a Markov model with a 10-year time horizon.ResultsIn the within trial, urethroplasty cost on average more than urethrotomy (cost difference: £2148 [95% CI 689, 3606]) and resulted in a similar number of QALYs on average (QALY difference: − 0.01 [95% CI − 0.17, 0.14)] over 24 months. The Markov model produced similar results. Sensitivity analyses using multiple imputation, suggested that the results were robust, despite observed missing data.ConclusionsBased on current practice and evidence, urethrotomy is a cost-effective treatment compared with urethroplasty.KeypointsUrethrotomy and urethroplasty both led to symptom improvement for men with bulbar urethral stricture—a common cause for urinary symptoms in men; Urethroplasty appeared unlikely to offer good value for money compared to urethrotomy based on current evidence.Trial registration: ISRCTN: 98009168 (date: 29 November 2012) and it is also in the UK NIHR Portfolio (reference 13507).Trial protocol: The latest version (1.8) of the full protocol is available at: www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/programmes/hta/105723/#/ and a published version is also available: Stephenson R, Carnell S, Johnson N, Brown R, Wilkinson J, Mundy A, et al. Open urethroplasty versus endoscopic urethrotomy—clarifying the management of men with recurrent urethral stricture (the OPEN trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 2015;16:600. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-1120-4.Trial main clinical results publication: Goulao B, Carnell S, Shen J, MacLennan G, Norrie J, Cook J, et al. Surgical Treatment for Recurrent Bulbar Urethral Stricture: A Randomised Open-label Superiority Trial of Open Urethroplasty Versus Endoscopic Urethrotomy (the OPEN Trial), European Urology, Volume 78, Issue 4, 2020, Pages 572–580.

Open urethroplasty versus endoscopic urethrotomy for recurrent urethral stricture in men: the OPEN RCT.

Men who suffer recurrence of bulbar urethral stricture have to decide between endoscopic urethrotomy and open urethroplasty to manage their urinary symptoms. Evidence of relative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness is lacking. To assess benefit, harms and cost-effectiveness of open urethroplasty compared with endoscopic urethrotomy as treatment for recurrent urethral stricture in men. Parallel-group, open-label, patient-randomised trial of allocated intervention with 6-monthly follow-ups over 24 months. Target sample size was 210 participants providing outcome data. Participants, clinicians and local research staff could not be blinded to allocation. Central trial staff were blinded when needed. UK NHS with recruitment from 38 hospital sites. A total of 222 men requiring operative treatment for recurrence of bulbar urethral stricture who had received at least one previous intervention for stricture. A centralised randomisation system using random blocks allocated participants 1 : 1 to open urethroplasty (experimental group) or endoscopic urethrotomy (control group). The primary clinical outcome was control of urinary symptoms. Cost-effectiveness was assessed by cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained over 24 months. The main secondary outcome was the need for reintervention for stricture recurrence. The mean difference in the area under the curve of repeated measurement of voiding symptoms scored from 0 (no symptoms) to 24 (severe symptoms) between the two groups was -0.36 [95% confidence interval (CI) -1.78 to 1.02; p = 0.6]. Mean voiding symptom scores improved between baseline and 24 months after randomisation from 13.4 [standard deviation (SD) 4.5] to 6 (SD 5.5) for urethroplasty group and from 13.2 (SD 4.7) to 6.4 (SD 5.3) for urethrotomy. Reintervention was less frequent and occurred earlier in the urethroplasty group (hazard ratio 0.52, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.89; p = 0.02). There were two postoperative complications requiring reinterventions in the group that received urethroplasty and five, including one death from pulmonary embolism, in the group that received urethrotomy. Over 24 months, urethroplasty cost on average more than urethrotomy (cost difference £2148, 95% CI £689 to £3606) and resulted in a similar number of QALYs (QALY difference -0.01, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.14). Therefore, based on current evidence, urethrotomy is considered to be cost-effective. We were able to include only 69 (63%) of the 109 men allocated to urethroplasty and 90 (80%) of the 113 men allocated to urethrotomy in the primary complete-case intention-to-treat analysis. The similar magnitude of symptom improvement seen for the two procedures over 24 months of follow-up shows that both provide effective symptom control. The lower likelihood of further intervention favours urethroplasty, but this had a higher cost over the 24 months of follow-up and was unlikely to be considered cost-effective. Formulate methods to incorporate short-term disutility data into cost-effectiveness analysis. Survey pathways of care for men with urethral stricture, including the use of enhanced recovery after urethroplasty. Establish a pragmatic follow-up schedule to allow national audit of outcomes following urethral surgery with linkage to NHS Hospital Episode Statistics. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN98009168. This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 61. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Efficacy of revision urethroplasty in the treatment of recurrent urethral strictures at a tertiary hospital (Kenyatta National Hospital–KNH), in Nairobi Kenya: 2015-2018

Background: Urethral strictures cause malfunction of the urethra. Urethroplasty is a cost-effective treatment option. Its success rate is greater than 90% where excision and primary anastomosis(EPA)is performed and 80-85% following substitution urethroplasty. Definitive treatment for recurrent urethral strictures after urethroplasty is not defined. Repeat urethroplasty is a viable option with unknown efficacy.Method: Retrospective analysis of patients who underwent revision urethroplasty for unsuccessful urethroplasty at KNH from 2015 to 2018 was performed. Patients’ age, demographic data, stricture length, location, aetiology, comorbidities and type of urethroplasty was evaluated from records with complete data. Male patients aged 13 to 80years were evaluated. Comparison of urethroplasty outcome between two patient cohorts was made: Fresh urethroplasty patients versus failed urethroplasty who underwent revision so as to determine efficacy of the later. Principal outcome measure was urethral patency, while Subsidiary outcome measures were associated complications. Outcomes were compared using statistical package SPSS version 23.0.Result: 235 patients who met inclusion criteria underwent urethroplasty, 71.5% (n=168) had a successful outcome, while28.5% (n=67) failed and were subjected to revision urethroplasty. Another 58% were successful upon revision but experienced significant morbidity. Majority of urethral strictures were bulbomembranous. Trauma was the leading cause of urethral strictures followed by idiopathic strictures. EPA was the commonest surgery while Tissue transfer featured prominently in revision urethroplasty. A significant correlation was evident between stricture length, prior surgery, and procedure choice and urethroplasty outcome.Conclusion: Revision urethroplasty is feasible after failed urethroplasty but less efficacious. Stricture length, number of prior surgeries and procedure choice affected outcome.EPA and Tissue Transfer techniques are essential surgical armamentarium in revision setting.

A drug-coated balloon treatment for urethral stricture disease: Interim results from the ROBUST I study.

We aimed to investigate the safety and preliminary efficacy of the Optilume™ paclitaxel-coated balloon for the treatment of recurrent urethral stricture. Men with bulbar urethral strictures ≤2 cm with 1-4 prior endoscopic treatments were enrolled at four study sites after ethics committee approvals. All subjects were treated with mechanical balloon dilation or direct visualization internal urethrotomy prior to drug-coated balloon treatment. Patients were evaluated at 2-5 days, 14 days, three, six, and 12-months post-treatment. The primary safety endpoint was serious complications through 90 days post-procedure. The preliminary efficacy endpoint was anatomic success, defined as urethral lumen ≥14 Fr at 12 months. A total of 53 subjects were enrolled and treated; 46 completed the 12-month followup. Forty-three percent of men had undergone >1 previous dilation; the mean for the overall study population was 1.7 prior dilations. There were no serious adverse events related to the treatment within 90 days. Anatomic success was achieved in 32/46 (70%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 54-82%) at 12 months. The 14 failures included seven cystoscopic recurrences, five retreatments, and two patients who exited the study early due to symptom recurrence. One-year data indicates the Optilume paclitaxel-coated balloon is safe for the treatment of recurrent bulbar urethral strictures. Early efficacy results are encouraging and support further followup of these men through five years, as well as further investigation with a randomized trial.

Buccal One-Stage Mucosal Graft Urethroplasty for Urethral Stricture. Results of 10 Years of Experience.

Aim: Representing our data regarding use of buccal mucosa for treatment of recurrent urethral stricture. Evaluating effectiveness of buccal graft for reconstruction of urethral segment both penile and bulbar urethra.
 Materials and methods: We repaired 95 urethral strictures with buccal mucosa grafts from 2004 to 2015. Mean patient age was 39 years. The etiology of stricture was unknown in 54% of cases in other cases ischemia, trauma, instrumentation was the reason. 96% had undergone previous urethrotomy or dilation. The buccal mucosa graft was harvested from lower lip mostly. Mean graft length was 3.8 cm. The graft was placed on the ventral and dorsal bulbar urethral surface in 61 and 34 cases, respectively. In pendulous urethra we routinely use the dorsal graft the Asopa inlay graft or Barbagli onlay graft. Clinical outcome was considered a success or failure at the time that any postoperative procedure was needed, including dilation. Mean follow-up was 36 months (range 16 to 62).
 Results: We had a success rate of 77% with dorsal inlay or onlay flap for pendulous urethra inferior than ventral graft used for bulbar urethra which was 81% success rate.
 Conclusions: In our experience the placement of buccal mucosa grafts into the ventral or dorsal surface of the bulbar urethra showed an acceptable success rates 81% and 77% respectively. Longer times of follow up is need to see if the results deteriorated more.

Recurrent Benign Urethral Strictures Treated with Covered Retrievable Self-Expandable Metallic Stents: Long-Term Outcomes over an 18-Year Period

PurposeTo assess the long-term outcomes of covered retrievable self-expandable metallic stent (REMS) placement for recurrent benign urethral stricture and to compare the outcomes associated with 3 types of covered REMSs. Materials and MethodsA retrospective study was performed in 54 male patients in whom 114 REMSs were placed between November 1998 and December 2016. These included 26 polyurethane-covered REMSs in 13 patients (group A), 47 internally polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered REMSs in 21 patients (group B), and 41 externally PTFE-covered REMSs in 20 patients (group C). The outcomes were analyzed and compared between the groups. ResultsOverall clinical success was achieved in 14 of the 54 patients (24%) at 5-year follow-up (group A, 12%; group B, 19%; group C, 40%). The overall complication rate was 60.5%, and the complication rate was significantly higher in group B than in groups A or C (group A vs B, P = .018; group B vs C, P = .002). The median stent indwelling time and maintained patency period were 3.1 months and 108 months, respectively. In multivariate analysis, stent indwelling time was the only significant factor associated with maintained patency. ConclusionsThe long-term outcome of covered REMSs has not achieved the desired success rate for the standard treatment of recurrent urethral stricture. However, externally PTFE-covered REMSs showed a better long-term outcome than the other studied types.

Female urethral stricture: a contemporary series.

To report the etiology, presenting symptoms and outcomes of the different treatments performed in female patients with recurrent urethral stricture. Twenty-six patients with refractory LUTS were diagnosed with a urethral stricture. The symptoms, the treatment performed and the outcomes were prospectively recorded. Sixteen patients were treated with a urethroplasty using a buccal mucosal graft (BMG) in 14 cases (54%) and a vaginal flap in 2 (8%). Urethral dilatation, optical urethrotomy and meatoplasty were performed in 8 (31%), 1 (3.8%) and 1 (3.8%) patients, respectively. Strictures were idiopathic in 11 patients (42%). Previous urethral instrumentation and traumatic vaginal delivery were the commonest causes of urethral stricture (42 and 15%, respectively). The most frequent symptoms were reduced flow (93%), detrusor overactivity (50%) and UTIs (42%). The stricture was cured in 93% of patients treated with a BMG urethroplasty and in all the patients in which a vaginal flap urethroplasty was performed. In the same group, the improvement in urethral pain was observed in the 67 and the 88% of patients were cured from recurrent UTIs. All the patients treated with urethral dilatation needed further dilatations; hence, the cure of the stricture was achieved in none of them. Improvement in urethral pain, UTIs and detrusor activity was not recorded in the latter group. Urethroplasty in its various forms has demonstrated in the present series the highest cure rate for the treatment of recurrent urethral stricture.

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Rhenium-188 Mercaptoacetyltriglycine–filled Balloon Dilation in the Treatment of Recurrent Urethral Strictures: Initial Experience with Five Patients

To evaluate the efficacy of beta-irradiation therapy with use of a rhenium-188 mercaptoacetyltriglycine ((188)Re-MAG(3))-filled balloon for the prevention of restenosis in urethral strictures refractory to repetitive surgical or interventional procedures. Five male patients with traumatic (n = 4) or postoperative anastomotic (n = 1) recurrent urethral strictures were included. One to four sessions of 20-30 Gy beta-irradiation at a 1-mm tissue depth with (188)Re-MAG(3)-filled balloon dilation were undertaken in each patient. No procedural complications or toxicities were noted. During the mean follow-up period of 16.2 months, the stricture did not recur in two patients, whereas three patients required additional interventional procedures. In two of these patients, the treatment intervals between the required sessions were significantly prolonged. For the entire group, the mean treatment interval was prolonged from 2.2 months before (188)Re-MAG(3)-filled balloon dilation to 10.7 months after therapy. (188)Re-MAG(3)-filled balloon dilation shows promise in preventing or delaying stricture recurrence in patients with recurrent urethral strictures.

A bioabsorbable self-expandable, self-reinforced poly-L-lactic acid urethral stent for recurrent urethral strictures: long-term results.

Biodegradable urethral stents have been used clinically for some years mainly in order to prevent postoperative urinary retention after minimally invasive thermotreatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. We previously reported a 15-month-follow-up pilot study of a bioabsorbable self-expandable, self-reinforced poly-L-lactic acid (SR-PLLA) urethral stent in combination with optical urethrotomy in the treatment of recurrent urethral strictures. The present aim was to evaluate the long-term results of this new treatment modality. A series of 22 patients with severe urethral strictures (mean number of earlier urethrotomies 2.5) were involved. An SR-PLLA spiral stent with a bioabsorption time of 10 to 12 months was inserted into the urethra at the stricture site immediately after optical urethrotomy. Uroflowmetry, measurement of postvoiding residual urine, urine culture, and urethroscopy were performed preoperatively and at 1 and 3 months and then every 3 months up to 12 months, with subsequent follow-up visits every 6 months. The mean follow-up was 46 months. The treatment was successful in 8 of the 22 patients (36%). Six recurrences were found within the stented area and 15 outside. Patients with failure have since been treated with several urethrotomies and repeat self-dilatations or free skin urethroplasties. The results of the use of a bioabsorbable SR-PLLA urethral stent for the treatment of recurrent strictures were encouraging. Without this additional therapy, the recurrence rate of strictures might have been much higher. The main problem was sudden collapse of the stent, possibly induced by outer compression. A new generation of bioabsorbable stents is already under development.

A BIOABSORBABLE SELF-EXPANDABLE, SELF-REINFORCED POLY-L-LACTIC ACID URETHRAL STENT FOR RECURRENT URETHRAL STRICTURES: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

Purpose We studied whether a new bioabsorbable self-expandable, self-retaining and self-reinforced poly-l-lactic acid double spiral stent is able to prevent the edges of a cut recurrent urethral stricture from adhering together and the scar from shrinking, thus obviating stricture recurrence. Materials and Methods A bioabsorbable spiral stent was inserted into the stricture site in the urethra immediately after optical urethrotomy in 22 patients with recurrent urethral stricture. Uroflowmetry, measurement of residual urine volume, urine culture and urethroscopy were performed before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after optical urethrotomy. Results All 22 patients voided freely on day 1 or 2 after urethrotomy. The stent slipped partially proximal to the stricture and had to be changed in only 1 patient. The stent was totally epithelialized in all but 1 patient at 6 months and had degraded in all at 12 months. The improvement in flow rate was maintained during followup except in 10 patients with stricture recurrence, which was outside the stent area usually close to the external sphincter in 7 and in the stent area in 3. All recurrences were treated with repeat optical urethrotomy and a new stent was inserted. Urinary infections developed in 2 patients and were successfully treated with oral antibiotics. Conclusions The self-expandable self-reinforced poly-l-lactic acid double spiral stent is a promising new method in the treatment of recurrent urethral strictures. There is no need to remove the device and no foreign material remains in the urethra. However, longer followup and controlled studies are needed to evaluate all benefits and side effects of this new treatment modality.

Stents in therapy of urethral strictures

The human urethra seems remarkably tolerant of foreign material within its lumen. Providing that a stricture has been adequately cut by means of urethrotomy, or dilated with bougies, the majority of urethras will tolerate both permanent and temporary stents with few problems. Temporary stents have the obvious advantage over permanent stents that no foreign material is left in the urethra but before these can be recommended it is essential that more clinical experience is gained and that long term results up to ten years after removal of the stent are published. Great care is also needed in the use of any sort of permanent device, either the Urolume stent, or varieties of the Strecker such as the Memotherm device. These should not be used in children and should be probably be avoided in young adults. The majority of strictures in this age group are in any case treated more easily by single stage urethroplasty procedures. The use of permanent epithelial covering stents should be limited to the bulbo-membranous urethra, with the possible exception of carefully selected sphincters strictures used in combination with an artificial urinary sphincter. Better results will be obtained by using these stents in strictures with a short history before multiple urethrotomies and dilatations have been carried out and before extensive urethral and periurethral fibrosis has occurred. This means that urethral rupture strictures are unsuitable, and in any case these are simple to deal with be means of stricture excision and primary end to end anastomosis of the urethra particularly when the stricture is in the bulbar urethra. Care must also be taken in using these devices in post-urethroplasty strictures if extensive periurethral fibrosis exists, although it has to be admitted that these stents may be very successful in some of these patients. The difficulty at the present time is our inability to define exactly which traumatic stricture or post-urethroplasty stricture will succeed and which will fail. Metal urethral stents should not be used for the first treatment of a urethral stricture. Depending on the aetiology, the site and the length of the stricture there is always a 40-50% chance that the stricture may be cured by means of a simple urethrotomy or dilatation and this should always be tried at least once before resorting to urethral stenting. There is no doubt that permanent urethral stents have an important role to play in the treatment of recurrent urethral strictures. Careful patient selection is essential in order to achieve the best results and we need more long term results before the final role of these devices in the treatment of urethral strictures can be determined. Temporary stenting of the urethra with non-epithelial covering stents is a simpler and safer treatment but at this point in time we cannot be sure how effective this treatment is and for which patients it is most successful. Long term results must be awaited before the place of these temporary devices can be defined.

A self‐expanding, self‐retaining temporary urethral stent (UrocoilTM) in the treatment of recurrent urethral strictures: preliminary results

To determine the efficacy of a self-expanding self-retaining temporary urethral stent (Urocoil) in patients with recurrent urethral strictures at different levels in the urethra. Urocoil stents were placed in 18 patients (mean age 42 years, range 28-60) with recurrent urethral strictures. The stents were left for a mean of 8 months (range 6-14) and patients followed for a mean of 9 months (range 6-18) after removal of the stent, being assessed by urine culture, urethrography, flexible cystoscopy and urinary flow rate. The stents were easy to insert and remove under local anaesthesia. All patients except one had a satisfactory outcome. Complications included stent migration (3), encrustation (2), hyperplasia of the mucosa (2) and the one failure, where the stent was extruded by a long fibrous stricture. The use of the temporary stent is an encouraging development in the treatment of this complicated problem but a longer follow-up is necessary to exclude the possibility of late recurrence.

Endoscopic Treatment of Posttraumatic Urethral Obliteration: Experience in 396 Patients

Of 396 patients with posttraumatic posterior urethral strictures treated endoscopically during 10 years 352 had no vesical displacement (group 1) and 44 had marked displacement (group 2). Group 1 patients were treated by suprapubic diversion and delayed optical urethrotomy. Exploration and railroad alignment to the urethra were done in group 2 and followup internal urethrotomy was performed in 33 patients. Eleven patients in group 2 and 68 in group 1 were considered failures due to complete short segment urethral obliteration. These 79 patients who failed initial visual urethrotomy underwent endoscopic resection of the stricture, that is core through optical urethrotomy. After 6 to 55 months (average 2 years) 46 patients (58.2%) were voiding satisfactorily (4 had stress incontinence). The 33 patients (41.8%) with failed minor or major endoscopic treatment due to persistent obstruction were treated with open urethroplasty. We conclude that posttraumatic posterior urethral obliteration can be treated by simple or major endoscopic techniques and that core through optical urethrotomy is a reasonable alternative to urethroplasty in patients with an impassable short stricture.

New temporary coil stent (Urocoil) for treatment of recurrent urethral strictures.

The Urocoil is a temporarily inserted self-expanding and self-retaining coil stent made of medical-grade stainless steel that is inserted under fluoroscopy after topical anesthesia of the urethra. This stent was used for 16 patients with a variety of recurring urethral strictures who had been managed in the past by repeated dilatations and urethrotomies. The stent was left in place for 6 months. Unlike permanently implanted mesh stents, no tissue growth into the lumen occurred with this stent, making its removal a simple procedure. With a follow-up of 3 to 9 months after removal, no recurrence of the strictures was observed. This temporary stent seems to be effective in the treatment of recurring urethral strictures. Satisfactory and promising results were obtained without leaving a foreign body permanently in the urethra.

Treatment of Recurrent Urethral Stricture by Internal Urethrotomy and Intermittent Self-Catheterization: A Controlled Study of a New Therapy

A controlled study of the effect of treatment of recurrent urethral stricture by internal urethrotomy followed by clean intermittent self-catheterization for 3 months is reported. There were 28 men (median age 70 years, range 18 to 75) allocated to internal urethrotomy and clean intermittent self-catheterization for 3 months (treatment group) and 33 (median age 76 years, range 36 to 87) were randomized to undergo internal urethrotomy only (observation group). The groups were comparable in terms of patient age, etiology of the primary stricture, number of recurrences, length and site of the actual stricture, and preoperative maximum flow rate (p <0.01). After termination of the treatment all patients from both groups were evaluated by uroflowmetry 2, 4, 6 and 12 months later, and a new recurrenceTreatment results were not significantly different (p <0.01). Of the patients in the treatment and observation groups 78% and 82%, respectively, had a new stricture. The median interval for this to occur was 4 months for both groups. Since no patient had clinical signs of stricture during clean intermittent self-catheterization, we conclude that for the treatment of recurrent urethral stricture clean intermittent self-catheterization following internal urethrotomy should be continued for a long duration, possibly permanently.