October 20th, 2015
Urethral stricture is a condition characterized by the appearance of scars in and around the urethra. This scarring of urethra narrows the tube which obstructs the normal flow of urine. The condition is more commonly found in men than women, and can result due to significant inflammation, trauma or infectious agent. The anatomical position can be anywhere in between penis and urethra. Along with its characteristic symptoms which include constrained flow, increased frequency and pain, the urethral strictures can also cause other complications such as renal problems, urinary tract infections, urinary retention and prostatitis.
Urethral strictures are more common in men due to longer length of urethra. For the same reason, this condition is rarely reported in females. Some of the most common causes of urethral stricture include,
Common causes of urethral stricture in adults and old age people include,
On the basis of symptoms and pathophysiology, the condition can be classified into two different types:
Characteristic symptoms of urethral stricture include,
Urethral strictures can be prevented by:
Depending upon the severity of disease and size of scarring and obstruction, different treatment methods can be opted
As far as the use drugs are concerned, no specific therapy is available for reversing the condition of scarring. Fortunately, the success rate of most interventional procedures listed above is excellent. Therefore, opting treatments listed above can significantly control the condition. It is imperative to mention that poor management of urethral stricture disease can lead to serious complications such as development of urinary tract infections, kidney stones, urinary retention problem, or enlargement of bladder.
1. Zelefsky, M. J., Wallner, K. E., & Ling, C. C. (2014). Urethral Stricture Disease: Etiology, Pathophysiology and its Economic Impact 17. Atlas of Urethroplasty, 17, 16.
2. Hindson, B. R., Millar, J. L., & Matheson, B. (2013). Urethral strictures following high-dose-rate brachytherapy for prostate cancer: analysis of risk factors. Brachytherapy, 12(1), 50-55.
3. Barbagli, G., Palminteri, E., & Guazzoni, G. (2014). The distal penile fasciocutaneous flap is a robust and reliable option for long-segment urethral stricture disease in any anterior urethral location. It has excellent long-term results with minimal morbidity, and can be combined with other tissue transfer techniques as necessary. Atlas of Urethroplasty, 29(2), 94.
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