Urethral stricture at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria

We reviewed 556 male urethral strictures treated at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria between 1980 and 1989. Their ages ranged from nine to 80 years with a mean of 40 +/- 12.9 SD years. Infection caused stricture in 66.5% while trauma accounted for 31.7%. Urethral injury associated with pelvic fracture from road traffic accident accounted for 68% of the traumatic causes. Inflammatory strictures were mainly located in the bulbar urethra (69.9%), while most traumatic ones involved membranous urethra (74.4%). Inflammatory strictures were mostly multiple (85%) while 90% of traumatic ones were single. Many patients with inflammatory strictures had more than one episode of urethritis. About 58% of the patients were treated by dilatation, 16% by visual internal urethrotomy and 26% by urethroplasty. Best results were obtained in patients treated by urethroplasty where 72% were satisfied with their treatment. Overall, 61% of the patients were satisfied with their treatment and were voiding urine without effort at two years. Re-stricture occurred in 21% and 23% of patients treated by urethroplasty and internal urethrotomy respectively. Urethroplasty is advocated upon less strict indications where the expertise is available.