Otis Urethrotomy? To have it? Not to have it for stricture?

My own experience: disastrous failed urethrotomies, followed by urethroplasty three years ago which has been invaluable. I'm male. OK, so maybe this prejudices me against urethrotomy, but it's true that it's generally not curative, especially if you've already previous failed stricture treatment.

Is there some evidence that the stricture is in fact responsible for your symptoms? Is your stricture actually causing any significant obstruction, or can you actually void normally? If you don't have any serious obstruction, what exactly is the urethrotomy supposed to accomplish?

You believe the cystoscopy (or dilatation) made your symptoms worse. That could be, at least if the stricture is involved. Urethral instrumentation can cause and worsen stricture disease.

Don't know about alpha blockers, sorry.

[b:766df542d5]Useful Reading:[/b:766df542d5]

[b:766df542d5]Review – Reconstructive Urology

What is the Best Technique for Urethroplasty?[/b:766df542d5]

Daniela E. Andrich, Anthony R. Mundy *

Institute of Urology, University College, London, United Kingdom

[quote:766df542d5]Many, if not most, urologists believe that there is a [i:766df542d5]\"reconstructive ladder\"[/i:766df542d5] and that treatment should always start at the bottom with dilatation and urethrotomy and work up the ladder to urethroplasty as a last resort. [b:766df542d5]This is nonsense[/b:766df542d5]. Unless a patient has a single, previously untreated, short, membrane-like stricture of the bulbar urethra, in which case there is a 50% chance of a cure with dilatation or urethrotomy, [b:766df542d5]the only predictable cure for a urethral stricture at present is a urethroplasty[/b:766df542d5].[/quote:766df542d5]

http://cirugiauretra.grupoaulamedica.com/pdf/bloque2/b2_46.pdf

[b:766df542d5]Urethral stricture: Urethrotomy vs. definitive repair

Urethroplasty's high success rates make it the preferred choice over temporary measures[/b:766df542d5]

Publish date: Oct 1, 2002

By: Steven B. Brandes, MD

http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Hands+On/Urethral-stricture-Urethrotomy-vs-definitive-repai/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/34748

[b:766df542d5]Repeat Urethrotomy and Dilation for Urethral Stricture Disease is neither Clinically Effective Nor Cost-Effective[/b:766df542d5]

http://www.urotoday.com/browse_categories/urologic_trauma_and_reconstruction/repeat_urethrotomy_and_dilation_for_urethral_stricture_disease_is_neither_clinically_effective_nor_costeffective.html

[b:766df542d5]Urethral Strictures[/b:766df542d5]

Author: Richard A Santucci, MD, FACS, Chief of Urology, Detroit Receiving Hospital; Specialist-in-Chief of Urology, Detroit Medical Center; Chief of Urologic Trauma Surgery, Sinai Grace Hospital; Director, The Center for Urologic Reconstruction

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/450903-overview

[b:766df542d5]Urethral dilatation in women: urologists’ practice patterns in the UK [/b:766df542d5]

M MASARANI, RG WILLIS

Department of Urology, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, UK

Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2006; 88: 496–498

[quote:766df542d5]Review of the literature reveals little evidence to prove the efficacy of urethral dilatation for adult women with various lower urinary tract complaints.[/quote:766df542d5]

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1964673&blobtype=pdf

[quote:1446666688]I had an operation called a cystoscopy with urethral dilatation.

I believe that the cystoscopy actually made my symptoms worse.

When I returned to England, I was diagnosed with urethral stricture.

Will the stricture get any worse? [/quote:1446666688]

Strictures often do get progressively worse, so that could happen. If the stricture isn't at present causing any real problems itself (hard to say from here), you may consider 'watchful waiting' - just wait and see if it progresses and how fast.

Here's another article that could be of interest:

[b:1446666688]Technique Of Urethroplasty For Female Stricture Disease Described And Results Reported[/b:1446666688]

[quote:1446666688]In the past, it was common practice to perform urethral dilations on women who complained of lower urinary tract symptoms. There is no evidence to suggest that this intervention works and many cases of true urethral stricture are likely a result of these unnecessary dilations.[/quote:1446666688]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/39663.php

Hollywood, would you mine shooting me your email to further discuss Otis Urethrotomy.  I have the operation and notied you mention the incontinent risk, I'd like to talk to you.  I wish I had known this also.