[Conservative treatment of urethral stenosis in childhood]

During a 19 years period (1969-March 1988) 22 children presented for treatment of urethral strictures. The patients ranged in age from neonatal period to 13 years old, 20 of them were boys and 2 girls. We have found 3 congenital cases, 5 traumatic cases, 9 inflammatory (versus infections) cases and 5 iatrogenic cases. Diagnosis can be suspected from the history and physical examination (voided stream), and confirmed radiographically and endoscopically; we have employed urodynamics studies in 2 cases, and those have seem of much important the follow-up. Treatment is controversial between different authors. In ours series progressive dilatation procedure have been elective (retrograde swelling catheter versus anterograde swelling catheter with cytostomy), with 86.3% of good results.