A comparison of urethral catheterization duration - three weeks versus two weeks after bulbar urethroplasty

To determine the incidence of bacteriuria, urinary tract infections (UTI), and significant extravasation of contrast on initial postoperative pericatheter retrograde urethrogram (pcRUG) after bulbar urethroplasty in relation to duration of urethral catheterization (DUC) of three weeks versus two weeks after surgery.

Retrospective chart review of 100 bulbar urethroplasty patients between January 2015 and November 2015 were compared with 50 prospective bulbar urethroplasty patients from June 2017 to February 2018 operated at the same university hospital. All patients in the retrospective cohort had catheter removal three weeks after surgery, while patients in the prospective cohort had catheter removal two weeks after surgery. Patient groups were compared using t-test and Fischer's exact test.

There was a higher incidence of UTI in patients with a DUC of three weeks after open urethroplasty compared to patients with two weeks DUC (p = 0.03). Occurrence of extravasation on initial pcRUG or asymptomatic bacteruria did not differ between the two groups.

The findings in this study suggest that a DUC of two weeks may be more favorable compared to a DUC of three weeks.