Is urethroplasty major surgery?

With an average operating room time of between three and eight hours, urethroplasty is not considered a minor operation. Patients who undergo a shorter duration procedure may have the convenience of returning home that same day (between 20% and 30% in total of urethroplasty patients).

How long does urethral stricture surgery take?

Most surgeries take between three to six hours to complete. An incision is made over the area of the stricture in the penis, scrotum, or perineum (the area between the scrotum and the anus). After surgery, a urethral catheter is left in for two to four weeks depending upon the type of surgery that was performed.

Is urethral stricture life-threatening?

If not treated, urethral strictures can lead to serious complications like kidney failure, chronic urinary retention, or life-threatening infections.

Is urethral stricture surgery painful?

Does the procedure hurt? Most people do have pain after the surgery, but the pain is usually not very bad. Patients are given pain medication to limit the discomfort. Some patients do not have any pain after surgery.

Do urethral strictures get worse over time?

Bleeding from the urethra means that the scar was torn and the stricture will soon recur and result in worsened stricture length and density. Overall, long-term success is poor and recurrence rates high. Once interval dilatation is discontinued, the stricture will recur.

Is a urethroplasty painful?

What are the side effects of urethroplasty surgery?

Risks / Benefits

  • Nerve injury to legs, feet, elbows or fingers due to the position you’re in for surgery.
  • Pain in the scrotum or perineum (area between the scrotum and the anus) due to nerve damage.
  • Urine or semen leakage or oozing out of your penis, from collecting in the area of surgery.
  • Erectile dysfunction.

What are the possible complications of urethral stricture?

Urethral Bleeding: This complication is often present in urethral stricture treatment, but ranges from minor bleeding to significant bleeding, with serious bleeding being far less common.

Do you need surgery for urethral stricture?

Surgery for Urethral Stricture. For longer and recurring urethral strictures that may not respond to treatment by dilation, surgery is usually required to widen or remove the narrowed section of the urethra.

What is the success rate of urethral stricture surgery?

Prognosis after Urethral Stricture Treatment. The success rate of both urethrotomy and urethral dilation ranges from 10 to 90 percent, depending upon the length of the stricture. Repeated treatments may also have lower success rates, possibly due to additional scarring inside the urethra from the procedure.

Who is most prone to a urethral stricture?

Urethral strictures are most common in men, but can occur in women as well. Men over the age of 55 are most prone to urethral strictures. 2  In males, the urethra is on average 10 inches from the end of the bladder to the tip of the penis.