INTERMITTENT SELF CATHETERIZATION VERSUS REGULAR OUTPATIENT DILATATION IN URETHRAL STRICTURE: A COMPARISON

Background: The results of regular intermittent self catheterization were compared with regular outpatient dilatation after endoscopic internal urethrotomy for urethral strictures. Methods: The records of patients who were treated for urethral stricture disease over a 4‐year period from 1991 to 1994 were reviewed. They were either on regular urethral dilatation or were advised to carry out self calibration. A follow‐up questionnaire was sent to them and they were asked to attend a review. Student’s t‐test and Proportion Test were used to find out if there was any significant difference between the two groups. Results: There were 78 patients who were on self calibration and 49 patients on regular urethral dilatation. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the duration of follow‐up (21.5 and 23.7 months, respectively); the length of stricture (1.5 and 1.7 cm, respectively); and complications (two and four, respectively). However, patients on self calibration had narrower strictures (4.8 and 5.7 F) and a signficantly lower restricture rate (5 and 16%). The current urinary stream was compared to the immediate postoperative stream. This showed that a higher number of patients in the dilatation group were voiding at less than 25% of their immediate postoperative flow. People from high and low socio‐economic groups were able to carry out self calibration satisfactorily. Conclusion: Patients from high and low socio‐economic groups found that self calibration resulted in a lower restricture rate and better stream when compared to regular urethral dilatation.