Urethral Stricture

Urethral stricture is the medical term for scar tissue in the urethra (pee tube). Scar tissue of the Urethra can happen at any age, but is more common as people age. Men experience urethral strictures much more commonly, but this condition can affect women. Scar tissue can happen at any location of the urethra.

The symptoms patients report experiencing with urethral stricture include: slow urine stream, pain with urination, incomplete bladder emptying, blood in the urine, urinary tract infections, and urinary retention (unable to urinate).

Common Causes of Strictures

We think urethral strictures occur after damage to the inside cell layer of the urethra (urothelium), and when the body tries to heal it forms scar tissue.

Common causes:

  1. In the US, many strictures do not have an identifiable cause. This is termed “idiopathic,” for we don’t know.

  2. Trauma, pelvic or perineal trauma. Traumatic foley catheters. Or following other urologic procedures.

  3. Infection of the urethra.

  4. Radiation

  5. Hypospadias