title: Long-term effect of urethral dilatation and internal urethrotomy for urethral strictures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Urethral dilatation and direct visual internal urethrotomy (DVIU) are widely used minimally invasive options to manage men with urethral strictures. Advances in open urethroplasty with better long-term cure rates have fuelled the continuing debate as to which treatment is best for primary and recurrent urethral strictures. We reviewed recent literature to identify contemporary practice of urethral dilatation and DVIU and the long-term outcome of these procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Systematic literature search for the period January 2010 to December 2011 showed that urethral dilatation and DVIU remain frequently used treatment options as confirmed by surveys of urologists in the USA and the Netherlands. Multiple reports of laser DVIU confirm the safety of this approach but long-term data were lacking. Stricture free rates from urethra dilatation and DVIU vary from 10 to 90% at 12 months, although adjunctive intermittent self-dilatation can reduce time to recurrence. Although quality-of-life benefit appears good in the short term, repeated procedures may harm sexual function in the long-term.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urethral dilatation and DVIU remain widely used in urethral stricture management but high-level comparative evidence of benefit and harms against urethroplasty in the short and long-term is still lacking.
authors: Department of Urology, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. veeratterapillayr@doctors.org.uk
authors: Rajan
authors: R
authors: Veeratterapillay
authors: Rob S
authors: RS
authors: Pickard
mesh_terms: D004106:Dilatation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012008:Recurrence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014521:Urethra / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects