Urethral Stricture

Urethral stricture disease is defined as a narrowing of the urethra between its origination at the bladder and its outlet at the penis tip. Patients with urethral stricture disease commonly have difficulty urinating or a “weak stream.”

Urethral strictures have multiple causes including prior urinary tract infection, catheter placement, injury to the urethra, pelvic radiation, and surgeries. It is important to have a urethral stricture treated because permanent injury to the bladder and/or kidneys may occur if it is not.

Strictures are managed surgically, either by endoscopic incision or open surgical reconstruction, which often involves a graft to substitute for the diseased urethra. Strictures are often a complex disease with a predilection to recur, so optimal management is generally found at a tertiary care facility like UCSF where there are physicians that specialize in these types of surgeries.