[Strangulated urethral prolapse in a young woman: a rare urological emergency]

Total prolapse of the urethral mucosa in women is an uncommon lesion, observed at the two extremes of reproductive life. Strangulation of urethral prolapse is a rare complication whose emergency treatment is essentially surgical. The authors report a case of strangulated urethral prolapse in a 43-year-old woman, for which several pathophysiological mechanisms can be proposed: first delivery by forceps, poorly repaired perineal tear, untreated early menopause at the age of 40 years. Urethral prolapse in elderly women has become much less common since the introduction of hormone replacement therapy for menopause. Other physiopathogenic factors may be responsible for this prolapse, such as thrombosis of the juxtameatal submucosal veins, laxity between the mucosa and submucosa or uretrodetrusor dyssynergia. The diagnosis of strangulated urethral prolapse is based on the discovery of a very painful, violaceous, inflammatory circular mucosal tumour surrounding the urethral meatus. If rapid reduction of the prolapse is not obtained with systemic and topical oestrogen therapy, the strangulated mucosal flap must be resected surgically, followed by apposition of the urethral mucosal and submucosal planes. This suture, in tissues which are always inflamed, must be calibrated and the urine must be drained by bladder catheter for about ten days. Meatal stricture is the principal complication of this surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)