title: Risk of urethral stricture recurrence increases over time after urethroplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a single institutional experience with urethroplasty outcomes and success rates at long-term follow up.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was carried out of all urethroplasties performed by a single surgeon from 2000 to 2010. A total of 347 patients underwent urethroplasty during this time period, of which 227 had minimum 1-year follow-up data available. Demographic, clinical, pathological and outcome data were reviewed. Recurrence was defined by patient reported urinary symptoms or need for subsequent intervention. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS statistical software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 26% of all patients had a recurrence at a mean follow up of 62 months (range 13-147 months). The recurrence rate after anastomotic urethroplasty was 18%, as compared with 31% after substitution urethroplasty. Mean time to recurrence was 34 months (range 5-87). On univariate analysis, use of abdominal skin graft, history of prior urethroplasty, lichen sclerosus and length of follow up were statistically significant predictors of recurrence. On multivariate analysis, only history of prior urethroplasty and length of follow-up time exceeding 48 months were statistically significant predictors of recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urethroplasty for urethral stricture is the most durable treatment modality, regardless of surgical approach. However, there is an ongoing risk of recurrence with the passage of time. Patients should be counseled appropriately on the potential for late recurrence of stricture disease after urethroplasty.
authors.affiliation: Smith Institute for Urology, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, New Hyde Park, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Justin S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Joceline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Matthias D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hofer
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Elodi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dielubanza
authors.affiliation: Kansas City Urology Care, Lee Summit, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Nathaniel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ballek
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Chris M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000601:surgery*; D013521:Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: micturition; prognosis; recurrence; treatment outcome; urethral stricture