Aetiopathogenesis of urethral stricture disease in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The urethra provides passage for urine in both sexes and additionally for ejaculation in males. Urethral stricture disease (USD), results in the narrowing of the urethra due to spongiofibrosis. Understanding the pathology of this disease is important to treatment. This study aims to evaluate the aetiology, pathology and pathogenesis of USD at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.Methods: This was a 6-year retrospective study conducted on all patients with features of USD who presented to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital UPTH. Ethical approval was sought and obtained from the hospital’s ethical committee. Data were obtained from ward admission, theatre, and discharge records. The information gotten included the age of the patient, aetiologic agent, site of stricture, number of strictures, length of stricture and complications present at the presentation. The data retrieved was analysed and categorical data were presented in the form of frequencies and percentages using tables. Continuous variables were presented as means and standard deviation. Results were presented in tables and charts.Results: The mean age from this study was 44.1±16.7 years. The commonest site of USD was bulbar with 74 (67.27%) patients. The commonest cause of urethral stricture was iatrogenic (41 patients).Conclusions: Strictures are commonest amongst middle-aged men. The commonest site of urethral stricture disease is the bulbar region because of its unique anatomy. Iatrogenic strictures are the commonest cause of urethra stricture disease.