Urethroplasty for refractory anterior urethral stricture

We present our results managing anterior urethral strictures previously treated with urethroplasty and/or urethrotomy.

During a 32-month period 69 males 10 to 76 years old (mean age 36) underwent treatment for anterior urethral stricture, including 32 (46%) and 26 (38%) previously treated with urethroplasty and urethrotomy, respectively. In 11 patients (16%) no previous procedures had been done. Anastomotic and dorsal patch urethroplasty was performed for bulbar stricture in 13 and 14 cases, respectively, while in 4 a penile skin flap was placed for penile stricture and in 38 a 2-stage procedure was done with urethral substitution using buccal mucosa or post-auricular skin grafts. Patients were followed with ascending urethrography at 3 weeks, and 12 and 18 months as well as with uroflowmetry. Symptoms were assessed for 6 months to 4 years.

Only 1 stricture recurred in patients treated with anastomotic or patch urethroplasty, or a skin flap. Of the patients scheduled for a 2-stage procedure stage 1 revision was required due to graft scarring or stenosis at the urethrostomy site in 21% and stage 2 revision was required in 23%. Other complications in this series included fistula in 3% of cases, wound infection in 3% and post-void dribbling in 12%.

Overall early results are good in our urethroplasty series in patients with a previously instrumented urethra. Patients should be advised of the possible need for multiple revisions of planned staged procedures. The increased rate of revision in these staged procedures compared with the excellent outcome of 1-stage procedures appears to be inherent in this operation in patients with multiple previous procedures rather than due to surgeon experience.