title: Management of recalcitrant urethral strictures with self-dilatation balloon catheter.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urethral strictures constitute a significant clinical problem that often requires long-term management.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the long-term outcomes of adjuvant home self-urethral dilatation of recurrent urethral strictures using a balloon catheter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male patients (N = 11), performing self-dilatation with a balloon catheter (minimum 24 months) were assessed by patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) health questionnaire specific for post treatment assessment of men with urethral stricture disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median duration of balloon catheter use is 46.5 months, IQR (24-150). Patients performed self-balloon dilatation on average 1.4 times a week, median 1, IQR (1-2) to maintain the patency of their urethra. The mean PROMs LUTS score of the patients was 2.45, median 2, IQR (1-4). The median and mean Peeling score was 2 IQR (1-2). 100 % patient reported that they either very satisfied or satisfied with the overall outcome and QoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our initial experience of outpatient self-dilatation with a balloon dilatation is encouraging and is an acceptable inexpensive and simple treatment for patient maintains urethral patency and potentially decreases stricture recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urological Surgery, St. James Hospital, James Street, Dublin 8, Ireland. derek.hennessey@gmail.com
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Hennessey
authors.forename: A Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Forde
authors.forename: T E D
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: McDermott
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004106:Dilatation; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D057928:Intermittent Urethral Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012648:Self Care; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000628:therapy*; D062885:Urinary Catheters