Stricture Urethra is a disease in which there is obstruction in the urethra due to narrowing. it can develop due to urethral infection/inflammation, post urethral procedures, trauma and various other reasons. It causes difficulty in passing urine, poor stream and at times lead to total retention of urine. surgery is the only solution for treating urethral strictures. Short segment strictures can be treated endoscopically. For longer and recurring urethral strictures that may not respond to endoscopic treatment and open surgery is usually required to widen or remove the narrowed section of the urethra.  Urologist perform two types of surgery for urethral strictures: urethrotomy and urethroplasty.

Urethrotomy

In a urethrotomy, a surgeon uses a special endoscope, which is a thin instrument with a light embedded in the tip, to make an incision in the part of the urethra that is blocking the flow of urine. The incision helps widen the stricture. After this procedure, a catheter is left in place for a few days to divert urine away from the urethra during the healing process.

This procedure takes place in the hospital and a short stay in hospital. Because you may have pain and discomfort after the procedure for up to two weeks, your doctor may prescribe pain relief medication, as necessary. You should avoid sexual intercourse for one week after urethrotomy.

Urethroplasty

In urethroplasty, a surgeon locates and removes the narrowed section of the urethra and joins together the two healthy pieces. If the scarred segment of the urethra is too long to be removed, doctors may use tissue from other parts of the body to recreate the normal size of the urethra. This increases the size of the urethra, allowing urine to flow without difficulty. The long-term success rate of urethroplasty is high. About 80 percent to 90 percent of people who have had urethroplasty can expect permanent relief from urethral stricture.