[The surgical treatment of urethral strictures]

The authors reviewed the results of surgical management of 233 patients aged 8-76 years who had suffered urethral strictures. A total of 266 operations were made in the period of 1970-1989. Urethral tunneling which had been widely used in clinical practice for strictures of the urethra until 1980 yielded 91.2% recurrences of the disease, which made surgeons modify the surgical policy. During the past decade 127 patients with urethral strictures and obliterations have undergone 138 surgical interventions: 91 (65.9%) urethral resections, 34 (24.6%) internal optical urethrotomies and transurethral resections of scarring tissue, 7 (5.1%) cutaneous urethral plastic surgeries and only 6 (4.4%) urethral tunnelings. The number of relapses was reduced to 13.4%. The authors consider that urethral resection should be the operation of choice in urethral strictures and obliterations. Endoscopic treatment techniques (urethrotomy and transurethral resection) are indicated in short strictures and scarring deformity of the posterior urethra after prostate operation. It is advisable to apply cutaneous urethral plastic surgery in case of extended strictures.