Results of Primary Endoscopic Urethral Realignment as a Treatment of Urethral Injury According to the Injury Site

Oh, Sang Jin; Rim, Hee Kwan; Rim, Joung Sik

Abstract

PURPOSE: There are a variety of open surgical and endoscopic methods to the treatment of urethral injuries. The objective of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of primary endoscopic urethral realignment according to the injury site.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty eight patients with urethral injuries(23 anterior and 5 posterior) were treated by primary endoscopic urethral realignment from March 1990 to August 1997. According to the injury site, age distribution, etiology of injury, associated injuries, time to operation, operating time, duration of urethral Foley catheterization, maximal flow rate, postoperative complications and treatment of post-realignment stricture were reviewed.
RESULTS
The age range of our patients was from 20 to 86 years(mean 45.0). Among the 28 patients, 23 were anterior and 5 were posterior urethral injuries. Pelvic bone fracture was associated in 1 patient(20.0%) in the anterior urethral injury group, while 5 patients(100%) in the posterior urethral injury group. The mean time after injury to realignment was 1.9 days (range 0 to 9) and the mean operating time was 53.9 minutes in the anterior urethral injury group(range 20-190) and 79.0 minutes in the posterior urethral injury group(range 25-170). The mean duration of urethral Foley catheterization was 24.5 days in the anterior urethral injury group and 61.4 days in the posterior urethral injury group. The mean maximal flow rate after catheter removal was 31.4ml/sec in the anterior urethral injury group and 24.6ml/sec in the posterior urethral injury group. Of the 23 patients, 9 patients(39.1%) had post-realignment strictures in the anterior urethral injury group and 8 were treated with visual urethrotomy, and only one patient was required open urethroplasty. Of the 5 patients, 4 patients(80.0%) had post-realignment strictures in the posterior urethral injury group and treated with visual urethrotomy.
CONCLUSIONS
Primary endoscopic urethral realignment is a safe and simple technique with minimal mobidity regardless of injury site. The stricture formation, impotence and incontinence rates of this technique are comparable to those reported for open surgical methods. Finally, most post-realignment strictures can be treated successfully with visual internal urethrotomy with or without occasional sound dilation.