Urethral stricture: Difference between revisions

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==Causes==
==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.
Urethral strictures are generally caused by trauma such as straddle injury (bicycle bar, sports injury, fence straddle).  These strictures are located in a portion of the urethra proximal to the penis that is under the scrotum, called the bulbar urethra.


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.  
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. The urethral stricture is often just at the tip of the pnie initially. However, this disease, especially when there is a delay in diagnosis, can progress to cause a stricture of the entire anterior urethra, called a pan-urethral stricture.
 
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.


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 stone]]s through the urethra can be painful and subsequently  can lead to urethral strictures.


==See also==
==See also==
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==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/urethral-stricture/AN00805 Overview] at [[Mayo Clinic]]
* [http://www.centerforreconstructiveurology.org/urethralstricture]


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Revision as of 01:39, 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

Template:Search infobox

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). These strictures are located in a portion of the urethra proximal to the penis that is under the scrotum, called the bulbar urethra.

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. The urethral stricture is often just at the tip of the pnie initially. However, this disease, especially when there is a delay in diagnosis, can progress to cause a stricture of the entire anterior urethra, called a pan-urethral stricture.

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.


See also

External links

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cs:Zúžení močové trubice de:Harnröhrenstriktur


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