Advancing Intraoperative Assessment of Urethral Stricture Anatomic Variation: A Prospective Proof-of-Concept Study

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Urethral strictures, particularly those refractory to endoscopic interventions, are commonly treated through open urethroplasty. However, predicting recurrence in homogeneous patient populations remains challenging. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> To address this, we developed an intraoperative urethral stricture assessment tool aiming to identify comprehensive risk predictors. The assessment includes detailed parameters on stricture location, length, urethral bed width, spongiosum thickness, obliteration grade, and spongiofibrosis extension. The tool was prospectively implemented in 106 men with anterior one-stage augmentation urethroplasty from April 2020 to October 2021. <b><i>Results:</i></b> An intraoperative granular assessment of intricate stricture characteristics is feasible. Comparative analyses revealed significant differences between bulbar and penile strictures. Bulbar strictures exhibited wider urethral beds and thicker spongiosum compared to penile strictures (all <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). The assessment showed marked variations in the degree of obliteration and spongiofibrosis extension. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our tool aligns with efforts to standardize urethral surgery, providing insights into subtle disease intricacies and enabling comparisons between institutions. Notably, intraoperative assessment may surpass the limitations of preoperative imaging, emphasizing the necessity of intraoperative evaluation. While limitations include a single-institution study and limited sample size, future research aims to refine this tool and determine its impact on treatment strategies, potentially improving long-term outcomes for urethral strictures.