Have our strictures changed: A study of the current characteristics and management of urethral stricture disease in Zaria, Nigeria

Introduction: Urethral stricture is a common cause of lower urinary tract symptoms in middle-aged and elderly men. Its presentation and management are closely linked with its etiology and this varies across geographical regions of the world as well as overtime. We hereby review the etiology, characteristics, and presentation of men with urethral strictures in a tertiary hospital in northern Nigeria over a year and compare it with previous studies in the region. Patients and Methods: The study was a prospective study from January-December 2016, all patients with urethral strictures and who consented to the study were enrolled in the study. Data was collected using a structured study proforma and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: The mean age was 44.1 years with a range of 13-71 years. The age interval 30 – 39 years accounted for most of the patients 24 (28.6%). 43% of the patients had short segment urethral strictures (<2cm) while 57% had long segment strictures (>2cm). The bulbar urethra was the site of most strictures with a frequency of 65%. Strictures were found in the penile and peno-bulbar urethra in 25% and 21% respectively. Only 10% of patients studied had multiple strictures. The etiology was an infection in the majority of the patients with a frequency of 53.3%. Post-traumatic strictures occurred in 33.3% while iatrogenic and catheter –Induced strictures were seen in 7.1% and 6% respectively. 8.3% had recurrent strictures, 1.2 % had previous dilations and 2.4 % had previous DVIU. 88% had no previous intervention for the stricture before the presentation. The complications from urethral strictures observed in the patients were acute urinary retention in 83.4% urethrocutaneous fistulae in 2.4% and urosepsis in 1.2% of the patients. 11% presented with no complication. 68% of these patients were managed by excision and end to end anastomosis, 15 % had a penile pedicled flap 12%, a buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty and 5% with staged urethroplasty. Conclusion: Though there is a gradual rise in post-traumatic and iatrogenic strictures in our environment, Post-inflammatory strictures still predominate. It is however infrequently accompanied by fistulae as seen decades ago. These strictures are mostly long segments single bulbar strictures.