The radiologic assessment of iatrogenic urethral injury

Abstract

Iatrogenic urethral injury producing urethral stricture results from urethral instrumentation, bladder catheterisation and, rarely, as a result of abdomino-perineal resection for carcinoma of the rectum. We here record our experience with iatrogenic urethral strictures and correlate the site of urethral stricture with its etiology. Because our hospital is a referral centre for urethral disease our results indicate that iatrogenic urethral injury (40%) is more common than previously described. They also indicate that urethral stricture due to instrumentation is more common in the bulbomembranous urethra (approximately 80%) and that stricture due to catheterisation is more common at the penoscrotal junction (approximately 70%). Instrument strictures are usually short and well defined. Catheter strictures are generally long and irregular, commonly being associated with visualisation of the glands of Littre.