Surgical management of urethral strictures based on etiology. Where do urethral stents fit in?

Recent studies in the urologic literature indicate a renewed interest in the management of urethral stricture disease. Specifically, urologists are now treating all types of urethral strictures regardless of location, etiology, or extent with methods other than primary urethroplasty or direct vision internal urethrotomy (DVIU), i.e., balloon dilation or urethral stenting. To see which patients might best be managed by these new modalities, we reviewed our experience with urethral strictures at LAC-USC Medical Center.