It can be deduced from statistics, that injuries are causative for a urethral stricture in the majority of cases. Already very small injuries can lead to scarring, which in turn leads to a stricture. Those microscopically small injuries can happen in consequence of a bladder examination, for instance, or they can emerge during positioning a urinary catheter.
The first sign for a urethral stricture is a clearly diminished stream of urine. This change in the urine stream is also the clearest sign for this disease. The stream doesn’t just have to be weaker, but it can also appear different in form and / or direction. A different form means that the urine does not necessarily flow in one stream, but rather widespread. Sometimes, the affected person has to press for urine to flow. It can also be the case that the urine stream is delayed since the urine first needs to pass the stricture of the urethra. Another complication of urethral strictures is residual urine in the…
In five to ten percent of cases, congenital malformations of the urethra constitute the underlying cause of urethral strictures. Physicians distinguish between different types of malformation and the specific procedures involved in removing the urethral stricture. Urethral valves are sail-like membranes that are located within the urethra and cause it to constrict. Meatal stenosis is the medical term applied to a narrowing of the opening of the urethra. Another of these congenital abnormalities is the aforementioned hypospadias, in which the patient is born with an unusually short urethra. An additional five percent of strictures are caused by a condition known as lichen sclerosus. This inflammatory skin condition involves hardening and…
Accidents can also be a cause for urethral stricture. There are several accidents, which are considered to be distinctive for suchlike injuries. There are pelvic fractures, for example, or blunt traumas of the genital areas as well. These so called straddle traumas can be induced by falling off a bike, for instance. In consequence of the damage the urethra can be injured, too, or at worst it could tear. In the event of a minor injury, the subsequent scarring of the tissue can eventually lead to a urethral stricture.
An inflammation of the urethra can lead to urethral stricture. In twenty percent of the cases the so-called urethritis is a cause of the urethral stricture. One reason for such a bacterial inflammation of the urethra may be the gonorrhea. Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that is in many cases the cause of urethral stricture due to inflammation.