[Urodynamic studies before and after gradual urethral dilatation with metal sounds for female urethral stricture]

We evaluated the urodynamics in women with urethral stricture after urethral dilatation. A total of 16 patients underwent treatment with gradual urethral dilatation at increasing intervals (2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months). Their urethra was dilated up to 30 F. with metal sounds. Urethral calibration with bougie à boule, uroflowmetry and urethral pressure profile were performed before urethral dilatation and 1 week after the last dilatation. The urethral caliber was increased from 18.1 +/- 0.6 F. to 23.5 +/- 1.0 F. (P less than 0.005), average flow rate from 9.4 +/- 0.8 ml/sec to 11.2 +/- 1.1 ml/sec (P less than 0.025) and maximum urethral pressure with a full bladder decreased from 105.4 +/- 9.4 cmH2O to 87.5 +/- 10.5 cmH2O (P less than 0.05). With gradual urethral dilatation with metal sounds, (1) the urethra was significantly dilated, (2) maximum urethral pressure was significantly decreased and (3) average flow rate was significantly increased.