Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Volume 69, Issue 4 , Pages 189-192, April 2006

Using Stainless Steel Chopstick for Self-performing Urethral Sounding in Preventing Recurrence of Anterior Urethral Stricture

  • Yu-Hung Lin
    • ,
  • William Ji-Sien Huang

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr. William Ji-Sien Huang, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Kuang-Kuo Chen

Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and Department of Urology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Received 30 June 2005; accepted 9 January 2006.

Article Outline

Male urethral stricture is prone to recurrence, ranging from 40% to 80% according to the length of stricture no matter what treatment is introduced. Therefore, it has long been a common challenge for urologists to handle the problem. Sounding or self-dilation has proved to be effective in reducing the recurrence rate significantly. However, a standard equipment set of urethral bougie is too expensive for a patient's own use. On the other hand, the performance of regular outpatient sounding is time-consuming and costly. We present an easy way to perform urethral self-dilation using a stainless steel chopstick, which has proved to be cost effective and satisfactory for patients. From February 2001 to February 2003, 6 patients, with a mean age of 64.6 years (range 47–79), were introduced to this maneuver after a urethrotomy and were taught how to perform self-sounding with a stainless steel chopstick (18 Fr equivalent). The distance of advancement was determined individually by calibrating the location of the stricture. The long-term result of this maneuver was later checked with a telephone questionnaire about urination status in April 2005. The urethral strictures were located at penile in 3 patients, bulbar in 1, and navicular fossa with meatus in 2. The mean period for performing self-dilation was 15.3 weeks (range, 2–52). The mean follow-up period was 41.5 months (range, 26–55). No recurrence of stricture was found.

Key Words:  self-dilation , stainless steel chopstick , urethral stricture

No full text is available. To read the body of this article, please view the PDF online.

 

Back to Article Outline

References 

  1. Kessler TM , Schreiter F , Kralidis G , Heitz M , Olianas R , Fisch M . Long-term results of surgery for urethral stricture: a statistical analysis . J Urol . 2003;170:840–844
  2. Pansadoro V , Emiliozzi P . Internal urethrotomy in the management of anterior urethral strictures: long-term follow-up . J Urol . 1996;156:73–75
  3. Steenkamp JW , Heyns CF , de Kock ML . Internal urethrotomy versus dilation as treatment for male urethral strictures: a prospective, randomized comparison . J Urol . 1997;157:98–101
  4. Kjaergaard B, Walter S, Bartholin J, Andersen JT, Nohr S, Beck H, et al  Prevention of urethral stricture recurrence using clean intermittent self-catheterization . Br J Urol . 1995;76:146
  5. Harriss DR , Beckingham IJ , Lemberger RJ , Lawrence WT . Long-term results of intermittent low-friction self-catheterization in patients with recurrent urethral strictures . Br J Urol . 1994;74:790–792
  6. Roosen JU . Self-catheterization after urethrotomy. Prevention of urethral stricture recurrence using clean intermittent self-catheterization . Urol Int . 1993;50:90–92
  7. Bodker A , Ostri P , Rye-Andersen J , Edvardsen L , Struckmann J . Treatment of recurrent urethral stricture by internal urethrotomy and intermittent self-catheterization: a controlled study of a new therapy . J Urol . 1992;148:308–310
  8. Robertson GS , Everitt N , Lamprecht JR , Brett M , Flynn JT . Treatment of recurrent urethral strictures using clean intermittent self-catheterization . Br J Urol . 1991;68:89–92
  9. Newman LH , Stone NN , Chircus JH , Kramer HC . Recurrent urethral stricture disease managed by clean intermittent self-catheterization . J Urol . 1990;144:1142–1143
  10. Webb RJ , Lawson AL , Neal DE . Clean intermittent self-catheterization in 172 adults . Br J Urol . 1990;65:20–23
  11. Tunc M , Tefekli A , Kadioglu A , Esen T , Uluocak N , Aras N . A prospective, randomized protocol to examine the efficacy of postinternal urethrotomy dilations for recurrent bulbomembranous urethral strictures . Urology . 2002;60:239–244
  12. Kaisary AV . Postoperative care following internal urethrotomy . Urology . 1985;26:333–336
  13. Gnanaraj J , Devasia A , Gnanaraj L , Pandey AP . Intermittent self catheterization versus regular outpatient dilatation in urethral stricture: a comparison . Aust N Z J Surg . 1999;69:41–43
  14. Greenwell TJ , Castle C , Andrich DE , Macdonald JT , Nicol DL , Mundy AR . Repeat urethrotomy and dilation for the treatment of urethral stricture are neither clinically effective nor cost-effective . J Urol . 2004;172:275–277

PII: S1726-4901(09)70204-7

doi:10.1016/S1726-4901(09)70204-7

Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Volume 69, Issue 4 , Pages 189-192, April 2006

Article Tools