[Secondary management of urethral injuries]

In 80 to 90% of the cases of partial or complete rupture of the membranous urethra, early en-to-end urethroplasy is successful in re-establishing the urethra. Secondary or delayed treatment of urethral injuries is required in unsuccessful cases or when a surgical procedure cannot be performed within the first 10 days following injury as often occurs in polytrauma patients with fractured pelvis, pulmonary or cerebral contusions, or spinal fractures. Over the last 5 years, at the urology unit at the Pitié Hospital we have treated an equal number of patients immediately after injury and in procedures delayed for 4 to 6 weeks.