Sachse optical urethrotomy, a modified technique: 6 years of experience

Urethrotomy with the Sachse optical urethrotome has radically modified our management of strictures of the male urethra. A total of 143 patients underwent 210 procedures during 6 years. The strictures resolved in 85 per cent of the patients and they required no further treatment, including 52 patients followed for more than 6 years. A modified surgical technique using a pediatric cystoscope is described to inspect, traverse and cannulate the urethral stricture before optical urethrotomy, thus, enabling successful management of even the most difficult strictures. Our results confirm that the best prospects of cure were short and single urethral strictures, and that optical urethrotomy is the treatment of choice for strictures of the male urethra.