OBJECTIVE: To report the long-term outcome over 12 years of using the urethral Urolume wallstent (AMS, Minnetonka, MI, USA) for treating recurrent bulbar urethral stricture disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The case-notes of 60 consecutive men with urethral Urolume wallstents placed for treating recurrent bulbar strictures were reviewed retrospectively. Information was collected on patient demographics, stricture aetiology, stent-related complications and the need for further surgery to treat stent- or stricture-related complications. RESULTS: The mean (range) age of the men was 58 (32-76) years. The most common cause of stricture was iatrogenic, arising after previous endoscopic surgery or after an indwelling catheter (45%). Thirty-five men had complications, with re-operation required in 27 (45%) of them. The most frequent nonsurgical complications were post-micturition dribble (32%) and recurrent urinary tract infections (27%). The most common surgical interventions required were transurethral resection of obstructing stent hyperplasia (32%), urethral dilatation or urethrotomy for stent obstruction or stricture (25%) and endoscopic litholapaxy for stent encrustation or stone (17%). CONCLUSIONS: The Urolume wallstent should only be used in patients who are unfit for or who refuse a bulbar urethroplasty.
OBJECTIVE: To report the long-term outcome over 12 years of using the urethral Urolume wallstent (AMS, Minnetonka, MI, USA) for treating recurrent bulbar urethral stricture disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The case-notes of 60 consecutive men with urethral Urolume wallstents placed for treating recurrent bulbar strictures were reviewed retrospectively. Information was collected on patient demographics, stricture aetiology, stent-related complications and the need for further surgery to treat stent- or stricture-related complications. RESULTS: The mean (range) age of the men was 58 (32-76) years. The most common cause of stricture was iatrogenic, arising after previous endoscopic surgery or after an indwelling catheter (45%). Thirty-five men had complications, with re-operation required in 27 (45%) of them. The most frequent nonsurgical complications were post-micturition dribble (32%) and recurrent urinary tract infections (27%). The most common surgical interventions required were transurethral resection of obstructing stent hyperplasia (32%), urethral dilatation or urethrotomy for stent obstruction or stricture (25%) and endoscopic litholapaxy for stent encrustation or stone (17%). CONCLUSIONS: The Urolume wallstent should only be used in patients who are unfit for or who refuse a bulbar urethroplasty.
Authors: Melih Culha; Unsal Ozkuvanci; Seyfettin Ciftci; Ali Saribacak; Murat Ustuner; Ufuk Yavuz; Hasan Yilmaz; Levend Ozkan Journal: Int J Clin Exp Med Date: 2014-10-15