The anatomy of the urethral stricture.

A post-mortem study of the urethral anatomy following gonorrhoea is presented. The different specimens examined demonstrated lesions ranging from microscopic submucosal scars to fully developed urethral strictures. In every specimen extensive squamous metaplasia of the surface epithelium was present. It is postulated that overstretching of this unsupported squamous epithelium during voiding causes microscopic epithelial tears and that the accumulation of the subsequent microscopic scars leads to the formation of a urethral stricture. Bacterial infection does not seem to play any part in the genesis of the stricture.