[Treatment of short urethral strictures in children using magnets]

In 20-35 per cent of short (up to 05 cm) urethral stenosis or cicatricial obliterations of urethra it was found advisable to start the treatment with nonoperative technique. Before 1982 bouginage or tunneling of urethra were commonly used. In 5 out of 6 children the strictures relapsed. Since 1983 when permanent magnets were employed, in 4 out of 5 patients normal urination recovered. 1 child was exposed to preventive 5-months bouginage to ensure constant patency of urethra. Long-term results in all the children satisfied the investigators. But out of 3 magnet-treated children with longer strictures (more than 1 cm) the disease relapsed in 2. It was concluded that in patients with longer stenosis the method was a failure, but in those with short ones the technique was more effective than routine methods. Besides, technical availability, safety and shorter terms of the treatment could also be regarded as the benefits of the aforementioned therapy.