title: The effectiveness of early primary realignment in children with posterior urethral injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the results of delayed repair and early primary realignments in patients with posterior urethral injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1990 to 2003, 20 children were admitted to the Medical Faculty of Uluday University, Bursa, Turkey, for posterior urethral injuries. Traffic accidents were the most common cause of injury (n = 17). Twelve patients (60%) who were referred early (1-10 days) underwent early realignment over a urethral tube. A total of eight patients (40%) underwent delayed repair using transpubic route. In these patients, surgical repair of the urethra was performed 5-6 months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 12 patients who underwent early urethral realignment, six required at least one visual internal urethrotomy following the removal of the urethral catheter. Urethral stricture developed in two of 12 patients (16.6%) who underwent early urethral realignment. Of the eight patients who underwent delayed repair, six required at least one visual internal urethrotomy following removal of the urethral catheter. Urethral stricture developed in three of eight patients (37.5%) who underwent delayed repair. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The urethral stricture in patients who underwent early primary realignment was less developed than the stricture that developed in those who underwent delayed management. According to these results we recommend early primary realignment in children with posterior urethral injury.
authors.affiliation: The Medical Faculty of Uludag University, Department of Pediatric Urology, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balkan
authors.forename: Nizamettin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dogruyol
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014521:Urethra / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*