Clean intermitent catheterisation in the management of urethral strictures.

OBJECTIVE To compare clean intermittent self-catheterisation and urethral dilatation with sounds in the management of recurrent urethral strictures. DESIGN A prospective randomised control trial between repeated urethral dilatation with sounds and use of clean intermittent self-catheterisation in the management of recurrent urethral strictures. SETTING Kenyatta National Hospital, urology clinics. SUBJECTS Forty nine patients with recurrent urethral strictures were randomised between clean intermittent catheterisation (CISC) and urethral dilatation with sounds. RESULTS The urinary flow rates were better in patients on the CISC arm compared to the dilatation arm. Seventy three percent of patients having clutton sounds dilatation developed urinary tract infections compared to 25% of those on CISC. The patients in the CISC arm had a uniformly higher quality of life score than those having sounds dilatation of the urethra. CONCLUSION Clean intermittent self-catheterisation is an effective and safe way of managing recurrent urethral strictures. It is a better method than repeated clutton sounds dilatation.