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Male Urethral Stricture Disease

Urethral strictures are scar tissue that contracts and narrows the urethra, subsequently blocking urine from flowing out of the bladder.

Common causes of strictures include inflammation, infections, trauma, prior surgery and chronic urethral catheter placement. Symptoms can include blood in the urine, slow urine stream, burning or pain with urination, spraying, urinary tract infections, decreased urine output, incomplete emptying and straining to urinate. Strictures can lead to larger complications such as urinary tract infection, bladder inflammation and muscle damage, prostatitis, bladder stones and urethral cancer.

Diagnosis

Identifying strictures early is important to avoid serious kidney or bladder problems. Strictures can be found in a physical exam, through urethra imaging with X-rays or a cystoscopy—a procedure in which a small, fiber-optic camera is placed into the urethra after topical anesthesia to visualize any damage.

Looking for Patient Care?

Patients interested in specific details about urethral stricture care or making an appointment with IU School of Medicine urology faculty, can find support through IU Health website.

Treatment Options

Dilation is an outpatient procedure that involves passing a wire across the stricture and progressively stretching the opening with larger and larger dilators. A catheter is placed for a few days after this procedure. In general, dilation is a temporary management strategy and not curative in nature.

Frequently Asked Questions