Memokath Stent Failure in Recurrent Bulbar Urethral Strictures: Results From an Investigative Pilot Stage 2A Study

To evaluate the efficacy of the Memokath stent in managing recurrent bulbar urethral strictures.

This is an investigative pilot stage 2A study in patients with a recurrent bulbar urethral stricture who underwent a Memokath stent implant from January 2014 to January 2016 in a single high-volume center for urethral reconstruction. The Memokath stent (Pnn Medical A/S, Kvistgaard, Denmark) was manufactured from nitinol, a biocompatible alloy of nickel and titanium, which was endoscopically placed. It had a 24-Fr outside diameter and was preloaded on a disposable delivery device. When correctly positioned, the stent was anchored by a warm water (55°C) instillation, which expanded the proximal end of the stent from 24 to 42 Fr .The stent was provided in lengths of 3-7 cm in 1-cm increments.

Sixteen patients were included in the study. The median follow-up was 16 months. In 7 patients (43.7%), the stent was removed within 1 year. The main adverse events were pain, encrustations, stones, and recurrent strictures. Four patients (25%) were considered a success and 12 (75%) were failures. Study limitations include the small sample.

The Memokath stent was deemed to be not clinically helpful and had significant side effects, and therefore should not be considered a treatment option for men with bulbar urethral strictures.