Meatoscopy: an important technique for assessing meatal warts in men

A total of 506 meatoscopic examinations showed this is a simple, safe, rapid, well-tolerated, useful procedure to assess the extent of warts at the meatus and in the distal urethra of men. The procedure was performed in 307 patients. Sixty-five (52.5%) of 124 men with meatal warts had additional urethral lesions not readily treatable. All proximal warts were confined to the fossa navicularis. Meatoscopy assisted in immediate rational planning of therapy. In assessing patients without meatal warts, lesions in the fossa navicularis were observed in 4 (6.7%) of 60 men with external penile warts, 4 (7.8%) of 51 men with a history of 3 previous episodes of urethritis, and in 8 (23.5%) of 34 men who had been in contact with warts. No relation was found between the distribution of warts, demographic details of patients, or duration of warts; the effect of previous urethritis on development of warts was unclear. It was concluded, following 199 repeated examinations, that the procedure was not associated with recurrence or proximal extension. Only 2 minor adverse events were recorded. Meatoscopy is recommended as part of the assessment of men with meatal warts and men who have been in contact with warts. The procedure should be considered in patients with external warts but no meatal warts, and in patients with a history of 3 previous episodes of urethritis over 3 years.