Urethral strictures in children.
OBJECTIVE
The review is an attempt to present the current literature regarding strictures in children to provide an evidence-based recommendation regarding diagnosis and treatment.


RESULTS
The level of evidence upon which to base therapy of strictures in children is low and consists mostly of case series from single institutions. Hence most of the information is extrapolated from the adult literature. A consensus committee of the Societe Internationale d'Urologie reviewed the literature, and the committee report (which is as yet unpublished) provides the basis for most of the information herein.


CONCLUSIONS
Because there is relatively little information published on this subject, there is a need for prospective studies and multi-institutional series. Additionally, there is a need for basic studies of urethral wound healing to provide a better understanding of the problem.
University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, California, USA. gkaplan@rchsd.org
George W
GW
Kaplan
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004106:Dilatation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014521:Urethra / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014563:Urodynamics; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D014945:Wound Healing