Urethroplasty- a single centre single surgeon experience

Male urethral stricture affects 100 in 100,000 men. These are investigated using uroflowmetry, retrograde urethrography and cystourethroscopy. Management is usually endoscopic with urethral dilation or direct visual internal urethrotomy, although they have high failure rates. It is now recommended that urethroplasty is performed earlier. In this study we have reviewed a single surgeons experience with urethroplasty and patient outcomes.

We retrospectively reviewed a prospectively maintained database of all urethroplasty operations performed in our hospital over a 5 -year period.

Forty-five patients were identified, with a mean age of 46. The most common presenting symptom was poor flow (100%). Uroflowmetry was performed in 31 of 45 patients(69%). More patients had a urethrogram (58%) than flexible cystoscopy (38%). Most strictures were idiopathic (67%). Mean stricture length was 2.6 cm. 71% did not require any further intervention. Five patients required repeat surgery. Four required DVIU and one required a repeat urethroplasty.

The most popular techniques for urethroplasty in the UK are augmentation urethroplasty using a buccal mucosal graft and anastomotic urethroplasty, both of which we describe. There are variations in what is deemed as successful surgery. The most widely used definition is 'the lack of need for any further operative intervention'. We have recently adopted Patient Reported Outcome Measures using a validated questionnaire to measure the patients perception of a successful outcome. Complex strictures have a higher incidence of complications. 42% of our cohort were complex and we describe results comparable to the published literature.