Postprocedural Urethral Strictures After Aquablation

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Surgical Innovation
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• Iatrogenic urethral strictures are a potential complication following surgical interventions.
• Aquablation, a robotic waterjet ablation technology, is increasingly used for lower urinary tract symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of urethral stricture after Aquablation.
• To identify risk factors associated with urethral stricture development post-Aquablation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 170 patients undergoing Aquablation.
• Postoperative monitoring included catheterization, bladder irrigation, and void trials.
• Follow-up assessments at 6 weeks, 3 months, 9 months, and annually to identify strictures.

Main Results:

• A 5.3% incidence of postprocedural urethral stricture was observed (9/170).
• Strictures were predominantly in the fossa navicularis (89%).
• Longer mean traction time (23.7 vs 18.1 hours) and higher rates of discharge with a catheter (89% vs 47.8%) were noted in the stricture cohort.

Conclusions:

• The incidence of symptomatic urethral stricture following Aquablation is 5.3%.
• Increased indwelling catheter duration and prolonged traction time are associated with a higher risk of urethral stricture.