Urethral Rest with Suprapubic Cystostomy for Obliterative or Nearly Obliterative Urethral Strictures: Urethrographic Changes and Implications for Management

Despite optimal urethral imaging with a suprapubic tube in men with high grade stricture reconstructive urologists underestimated length by an average of almost 1 cm. This underestimation was less for shorter strictures and it increased with stricture length. In addition, a period of urethral rest resulted in more frequent stricture obliteration, which was associated with a change in the planned operative approach about half of the time. If urologists do not place a suprapubic cystostomy tube prior to urethroplasty for high grade stricture, the operative plan should account for the stricture being tighter than it may appear.