Urethrotomy

Urine passes out of the body from the bladder via the urethra. Occasionally the urethra may become scarred in one part of the tube forming a stricture. The stricture in the urethra may be caused by an untreated infection, scar tissue, surgery or even a trauma to the penis. This stricture may impede the flow of urine leading to more frequent urination and the possibility of repeated urinary tract infections.

A urethrotomy is a procedure that is carried out under a general anaesthetic to correct this stricture, where the urethra is narrowed which causing problems with the flow of urine.

The urethrotomy corrects the urethral stricture using a rigid endoscope with a fine instrument passed up through the urethra to the narrowed area. The stricture is gently slit open to allow the widening of the urethra. A catheter is inserted into the urethra to allow urine to drain from the bladder for a few days during healing of the uretha.