The relationship between urethral catheterization before TUR-P and postoperative stricture

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the use of short-term preoperative urinary catheters and the development of postoperative urethral stricture in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P) due to benign prostatic obstruction.

The records of 425 patients who underwent monopolar TUR-P between 2012 and 2025 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 150 patients were included in the study according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were divided into two groups based on preoperative urethral catheter use. The diagnosis of urethral stricture was confirmed by clinical findings, urethrography, and cystoscopy.

The overall urethral stricture rate was 8.7%. The stricture rate was 13.6% in the group without preoperative catheterization, compared with 2.9% in the group with catheterization (p = 0.020). No significant relationship was found between catheter duration and stricture development. An inverse relationship was observed between hypertension and stricture among comorbidities.

Short-term preoperative urethral catheterization may be associated with a lower risk of postoperative urethral stricture after TUR-P. However, due to retrospective design of the study, causal inference cannot be established and prospective studies are needed.