title: Prevention of stricture recurrence following urethral endoscopic management: what do we have?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Strictures of the urethra are the most common cause of obstructed micturition in younger men and there is frequent recurrence after initial treatment. This review was performed to determine the best strategy for stricture recurrence prevention following urethral endoscopic management.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the published literature in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar focusing on this intractable problem regardless of language restrictions. Outcomes of interest included the study methods and the applied strategy's efficacy. The level of evidence and grade of recommendations of included studies were appraised with an Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Currently, numerous techniques, including catheterization, repeated dilation, brachytherapy, and intraurethral use of various antifibrosis agents, have been employed to oppose the process of wound contraction or regulate the extracellular matrix. But unfortunately, none of these techniques or agents have demonstrated efficacy with enough evidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although lots of strategies are available, still, we do not have a suitable, single optimum solution for all the conditions. The clinical decision of stricture-recurrence-prevention techniques should be carefully tailored to every individual patient. As the studies are not sufficient, more efforts are warranted to address this interesting but challenging issue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Romel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wazir
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Kun-Jie
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D004106:Dilatation; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052999:Quinazolinones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014521:Urethra / Q000473:pathology; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D052999:Quinazolinones; D013256:Steroids; C010176:halofuginone