[The treatment of severe and complicated urethral strictures]

Stricture of the urethra is produced by a cicatrix causing narrowing of the urethral lumen subsequent to trauma or inflammation. The strictures are considered as serious whenever the meatus is involved, and total--in the event of obliteration of the urethra (H. Sachse, 1978). The complications are associated with perineal, scrotal or suprapubic fistulae (C. Devine, P. Devine 1989). This is a report on 37 men presenting severe complicated strictures of the urethra, treated over the period 1981-1995 in the Clinical Center of Urology. According to underlying cause the strictures are divided in: postoperative--7 cases, iatrogenic--6, inflammatory--1, traumatic--23, and patients with scrotal fistulae--3. The patients are operated using a combined method through open and endoscopic manipulation; in 3 cases plastic repair of the urethra with a preputial flap is done. The overall results are estimated as good.