A urethral stricture, also known as a urethral obstruction, is scar tissue that builds within the urethra, making it difficult to urinate. Because of its length and location, the male urethra and genitourinary system are especially prone to injury. Urethral strictures are more common in men because their urethras are longer than those in women. In some cases, the cause of urethral stricture is not known.
Our reconstructive urologists specialize in treating people who have ongoing urethral strictur complications, as well as those who are experiencing urethral stricture recurrence from failed repairs or surgeries.
Factors that may cause urethral stricture:
-
Previous hypospadias surgery
- A traumatic incident, like a car accident or bicycle injury
- Urethral cancer
- Sexually transmitted diseases like
gonorrhea and
chlamydia
- Procedures that involve placing a tube into the urethra
- Prior urological surgery (such as prostate cancer therapy)
Symptoms of urethral stricture include:
- Slow urine stream that develops gradually
- Spraying of urine
- Pushing or straining
- Post-void dribbling
Urethral Stricture Treatment
Urethral stricture can be treated with urethroplasty, a minimally invasive surgical procedure that removes or widens the narrowed section of the urethra. The recurrence of strictures after urethroplasty is very low.
Our surgeon is an expert in complex procedures and is skilled in over a dozen different types of therapies to treat urethral strictures.