Urethral stricture: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
A '''urethral stricture''' is internal damage to the [[urethra]] caused by injury or disease such as | A '''urethral stricture''' is internal damage to the [[urethra]] caused by injury, such as straddle or pelvic fracture trauma, or disease such as Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans. | ||
==Presentation== | ==Presentation== | ||
During the early stages of the condition, the subject may experience pain during urination and the inability to fully empty the bladder. It is not uncommon for the bladder's capacity to significantly increase due to this inability to completely void. | During the early stages of the condition, the subject may experience a diminished urinary flow rate, pain during urination, and/or the inability to fully empty the bladder. It is not uncommon for the bladder's capacity to significantly increase due to this inability to completely void. | ||
Urethral strictures may cause problems with [[urination]], including in certain cases the complete inability to urinate, which is a [[medical emergency]]. | Urethral strictures may cause problems with [[urination]], including in certain cases the complete inability to urinate, which is a [[medical emergency]]. | ||
==Causes== | ==Causes== | ||
Urethral strictures are generally caused by | Urethral strictures are generally caused by trauma such as straddle injury (bicycle bar, sports injury, fence straddle). When there is a fracture of the pelvis, this bone fracture can in some cases be associated with a complete transection of the urethra just below the prostate. The body's attempt to repair the damage caused by the injury creates a buildup of scar tissue in the uretha resulting in a significant narrowing or even closure of the passage. Other causes of strictures include a skin disease called Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans, an inflammatory disorder that affects the penile skin and can lead to severe progressive stricture disease. Other causes of urethral strictures include urethral instrumentation with cystoscopes (telescopes advanced through the urethra to visualize the bladder). Incomplete development of the urethra at birth is called hypospadias, and urethral strictures can develop as a complication of surgery to reconstruct the urethra. Although infections and STDs are possible causes of urethral strictures, infections are generally not the cause of urethral strictures. In addition, urethral strictures are rarely, if ever, congenital. | ||
Short strictures in the bulbar urethra, particularly between the proximal 1/3 and distal 2/3 of the bulb, may be congenital. They probably form as a membrane at the junction between the posterior and anterior urethral segments. It is not usually noticeable until later in life, as it fails to widen as the urethra does with growth, thus it only impedes urinary flow relative to the rest of the urethra after puberty. Moreover, the patient will often not "know any different", and so will not complain about poor flow. | Short strictures in the bulbar urethra, particularly between the proximal 1/3 and distal 2/3 of the bulb, may be congenital. They probably form as a membrane at the junction between the posterior and anterior urethral segments. It is not usually noticeable until later in life, as it fails to widen as the urethra does with growth, thus it only impedes urinary flow relative to the rest of the urethra after puberty. Moreover, the patient will often not "know any different", and so will not complain about poor flow. | ||
Revision as of 01:29, 20 January 2011
| Urethral stricture | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Urethra is tube at center. | ||
| ICD-10 | N35 | |
| ICD-9 | 598 | |
| DiseasesDB | 13562 | |
| MedlinePlus | 001271 | |
| eMedicine | med/3075 | |
| MeSH | C12.777.767.700.700 | |
Editors-in-Chief: Joel Gelman, M.D. [1], Director of the Center for Reconstructive Urology and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of California, Irvine and Brad Figler, M.D., Resident, Emory University Department of Urology [2]
Please Join in Editing This Page and Apply to be an Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [3] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
Overview
A urethral stricture is internal damage to the urethra caused by injury, such as straddle or pelvic fracture trauma, or disease such as Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans.
Presentation
During the early stages of the condition, the subject may experience a diminished urinary flow rate, pain during urination, and/or the inability to fully empty the bladder. It is not uncommon for the bladder's capacity to significantly increase due to this inability to completely void.
Urethral strictures may cause problems with urination, including in certain cases the complete inability to urinate, which is a medical emergency.
Causes
Urethral strictures are generally caused by trauma such as straddle injury (bicycle bar, sports injury, fence straddle). When there is a fracture of the pelvis, this bone fracture can in some cases be associated with a complete transection of the urethra just below the prostate. The body's attempt to repair the damage caused by the injury creates a buildup of scar tissue in the uretha resulting in a significant narrowing or even closure of the passage. Other causes of strictures include a skin disease called Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans, an inflammatory disorder that affects the penile skin and can lead to severe progressive stricture disease. Other causes of urethral strictures include urethral instrumentation with cystoscopes (telescopes advanced through the urethra to visualize the bladder). Incomplete development of the urethra at birth is called hypospadias, and urethral strictures can develop as a complication of surgery to reconstruct the urethra. Although infections and STDs are possible causes of urethral strictures, infections are generally not the cause of urethral strictures. In addition, urethral strictures are rarely, if ever, congenital.
Short strictures in the bulbar urethra, particularly between the proximal 1/3 and distal 2/3 of the bulb, may be congenital. They probably form as a membrane at the junction between the posterior and anterior urethral segments. It is not usually noticeable until later in life, as it fails to widen as the urethra does with growth, thus it only impedes urinary flow relative to the rest of the urethra after puberty. Moreover, the patient will often not "know any different", and so will not complain about poor flow.
The urethra runs between the legs very close to the skin, leaving it vulnerable to trauma. Simply falling off a bike and hitting between the legs may result in the formation of scar tissue within the urethra tract. This condition is often not found until the patient has problems urinating because these are painless growths of scar tissue.
Passage of kidney stones through the urethra can be painful and subsequently can lead to urethral strictures.
See also
External links
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