Urethral Strictures

Urethral strictures cause the urine stream to decrease and people may need to strain to urinate. Sometimes they cannot urinate at all.

Strictures are much more common in men than in women. They may occur congenitally, or as a result of trauma to the urethra. Even a severe bout of urethral inflammation caused by an infection can cause a urethral stricture. Patients with severe urethral strictures or strictures that do not respond to endoscopic management can benefit from urethral reconstruction surgery (urethroplasty).

Often times we can fix a blocked urethra endoscopically. A fiber-optic camera is used to visualize the strictured area, which can be opened by making an incision to widen the lumen. A stent can be used to stretch the urethra and keep it open. The success of endoscopic treatment depends on where the stricture is located and how long it is. When not possible or not effective, urethral reconstruction surgery is necessary.

During urethral reconstruction surgeries, whenever possible the stricture is cut and the healthy ends of the urethra are reconnected to make the urethra wider. Sometimes the diseased tissue must be replaced with healthy new tissue. In many cases, healthy tissue can be taken from the inside of the cheek, and grafted to the urethra. Because people's strictures vary in location and length, operative times for urethroplasties can vary from 3 to 6 hours.

After surgery, patients need to wear a catheter for 10-14 days, depending on the surgery performed. During their post-surgical visit, the patient’s bladder is filled with x-ray contrast and the catheter is gently removed. The patient voids while dynamic x-rays are taken to evaluate how the surgical area is healing. When totally healed, the catheter is permanently removed and patients can urinate normally.

Because most urethral strictures recur within the first year or two after surgery, patients are seen every three to six months in their first year after surgery. When strictures recur after surgery they are usually less dense than the original stricture. Most often, they can be treated without invasive surgery, using a scope procedure to cut the stricture. In rare cases, a second urethral reconstruction surgery is necessary.


Meet our Urethral Stricture Disease Specialists:

Name Specialties Location
Abavana, Christina, MD Abavana, Christina, MD
4.8 /5
139 surveys
203.254.2320
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Fairfield
  • Milford
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Griffith, John James, MD Griffith, John James, MD
4.9 /5
361 surveys
860.348.2500
  • Urology
  • Southington
  • Plainville
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Sullivan, Jennifer L., PA-C Sullivan, Jennifer L., PA-C
4.8 /5
44 surveys
203.238.1241
  • Urology
  • Meriden
Alter, Eric Louis, MD, FACC, RPVI Alter, Eric Louis, MD, FACC, RPVI 203.254.2452
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Fairfield
  • Stratford
  • Milford
  • Fairfield
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O'Meara, Amanda V., MD O'Meara, Amanda V., MD 860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Hartford
  • Farmington
  • Plainville
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Liaw, Christine, MD Liaw, Christine, MD
4.7 /5
169 surveys
203.338.8760
  • Urology
  • Bridgeport
  • Wilton
  • Stamford
Show Less
Siev, Michael Howard, MD Siev, Michael Howard, MD
4.9 /5
285 surveys
860.253.3380
  • Urology
  • Enfield
  • Manchester
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Hager, Shaun Patrick, DO Hager, Shaun Patrick, DO
4.8 /5
211 surveys
860.443.0622
  • Urology
  • Waterford
  • Mystic
Show Less
Sappenfield, Elisabeth C., MD Sappenfield, Elisabeth C., MD
4.8 /5
141 surveys
860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Enfield
  • Hartford
  • Avon
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Minardi, Michael, PA-C Minardi, Michael, PA-C 860.496.8990
  • Urology
  • Torrington
Reynolds, Elizabeth, APRN, DNP, FNP-BC Reynolds, Elizabeth, APRN, DNP, FNP-BC
4.9 /5
218 surveys
860.678.5700
  • Urology
  • Farmington
Shreck, Evan, MD Shreck, Evan, MD
4.9 /5
441 surveys
203.238.1241
  • Urology
  • Meriden
  • Cheshire
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Shehu, Ardit, DO Shehu, Ardit, DO
4.8 /5
322 surveys
860.677.3950
  • Internal Medicine
  • Farmington
  • Farmington
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St. Martin, Brad, MD St. Martin, Brad, MD 860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Norwich
Fairchild, Rebecca, APRN Fairchild, Rebecca, APRN 860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Hartford
  • Farmington
  • Plainville
  • Enfield
  • Avon
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Schwartz, Marissa, APRN Schwartz, Marissa, APRN
4.8 /5
170 surveys
860.947.8500
  • Urology
  • Hartford
  • Plainville
  • Avon
  • West Hartford
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Nguyen, Andrew, PA-C Nguyen, Andrew, PA-C 860.348.2500
  • Urology
  • Plainville
St. Pierre, Joseph, DO St. Pierre, Joseph, DO
4.9 /5
150 surveys
203.926.8835
  • Bariatric Medicine
  • Shelton
  • Trumbull
  • Fairfield
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Katz, Eric, MD Katz, Eric, MD
4.8 /5
287 surveys
860.947.8500
  • Urology
  • Hartford
  • Avon
  • West Hartford
  • Farmington
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Dorney, Eileen, PA-C Dorney, Eileen, PA-C
4.6 /5
141 surveys
203.338.8760
  • Urology
  • Bridgeport
  • Fairfield
Show Less
Wagner, Kathryn, MD Wagner, Kathryn, MD
4.9 /5
305 surveys
203.238.1241
  • Urology
  • Meriden
  • Cheshire
Show Less
Beamer, Matthew, MD Beamer, Matthew, MD
4.7 /5
112 surveys
203.338.8760
  • Urology
  • Bridgeport
  • Wilton
  • Stamford
Show Less
Kuruca, Burcu, APRN, FNP Kuruca, Burcu, APRN, FNP
4.8 /5
92 surveys
860.253.3380
  • Urology
  • Enfield
  • Farmington
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Ferraguto, Jillian, APRN Ferraguto, Jillian, APRN
4.7 /5
92 surveys
860.947.8500
  • Urology
  • Glastonbury
Gunter, Alexandra, APRN Gunter, Alexandra, APRN
4.8 /5
287 surveys
860.678.7300
  • Urology
  • Farmington
Pyo, Paul, MD Pyo, Paul, MD
4.9 /5
575 surveys
203.238.1241
  • Urology
  • Meriden
  • Cheshire
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Benson, Scott Marshall, DO Benson, Scott Marshall, DO 860.522.2377
  • Nephrology
  • Hartford
  • Hartford
  • Bloomfield
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Tishler, Darren Scott, MD, FACS, FASMBS Tishler, Darren Scott, MD, FACS, FASMBS
4.9 /5
202 surveys
860.246.2071
  • Bariatric Surgery
  • Glastonbury
  • Manchester
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Everhart-Caye, Maria Anne, MD Everhart-Caye, Maria Anne, MD 860.241.0700
  • Nephrology
  • Hartford
  • Wethersfield
Show Less
Rasool, Altaf, MD Rasool, Altaf, MD 860.889.8331
  • Nephrology
  • Norwich
Kutz, Stephen M., MD, FACC Kutz, Stephen M., MD, FACC
4.9 /5
307 surveys
401.596.4499
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Westerly
  • Mystic
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Dorin, Ryan P., MD, FACS Dorin, Ryan P., MD, FACS
4.9 /5
314 surveys
860.348.2500
  • Urology
  • Plainville
  • Bristol
  • Meriden
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Tiano, Joseph John, MD Tiano, Joseph John, MD 203.683.5100
  • Cardiac Electrophysiology
  • Bridgeport
  • Fairfield
  • Trumbull
  • Fairfield
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Glenney, Sandra F., APRN, DNP, RNFA Glenney, Sandra F., APRN, DNP, RNFA
4.8 /5
157 surveys
860.886.1956
  • Urology
  • Norwich
Casillas, Sergio Rafael, MD Casillas, Sergio Rafael, MD
4.9 /5
158 surveys
860.889.9080
  • General Surgery
  • Norwich
  • Norwich
  • Waterford
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Laut, Jeffrey Marc, MD Laut, Jeffrey Marc, MD 860.241.0700
  • Nephrology
  • Hartford
  • Hartford
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Rosenberg, David Jeremy, MD Rosenberg, David Jeremy, MD
4.9 /5
608 surveys
860.643.2731
  • Urology
  • Manchester
Weisman, Kenneth Martin, MD Weisman, Kenneth Martin, MD
4.8 /5
253 surveys
860.348.2500
  • Urology
  • Thomaston
  • Bristol
  • Plainville
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D'Ambrosio, Susan E., PsyD D'Ambrosio, Susan E., PsyD 860.678.5700
  • Psychology
  • Fairfield
LaSala, Christine Ann, MD, FACS, FACOG, FFPMRS LaSala, Christine Ann, MD, FACS, FACOG, FFPMRS
4.9 /5
160 surveys
860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Avon
  • Plainville
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Samat, Aashish Gopaldas, MD Samat, Aashish Gopaldas, MD
4.8 /5
265 surveys
860.696.2240
  • Endocrinology
  • Farmington
  • New Britain
  • Farmington
Show Less
Phanavong, Jacquelyne M., PA-C Phanavong, Jacquelyne M., PA-C
4.7 /5
252 surveys
860.947.8500
  • Urology
  • West Hartford
Tunitsky-Bitton, Elena, MD, FACOG, FFPMRS Tunitsky-Bitton, Elena, MD, FACOG, FFPMRS
4.9 /5
178 surveys
860.972.4338
  • Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Hartford
  • Avon
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Ceplenski, Paul John, MD Ceplenski, Paul John, MD 860.826.4453
  • Urology
  • New Britain
Steinberg, Adam C., DO, MBA, FACS, FACOG Steinberg, Adam C., DO, MBA, FACS, FACOG 860.972.4338
  • Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Hartford
Umashanker, Devika, MD Umashanker, Devika, MD
4.6 /5
123 surveys
833.861.5433
  • Bariatric Medicine
  • Glastonbury
Loughery, Erin Marie, APRN Loughery, Erin Marie, APRN
4.8 /5
260 surveys
860.886.1956
  • Urology
  • Norwich
  • Plainfield
Show Less
Tray, Kory A., MD Tray, Kory A., MD 860.241.0700
  • Nephrology
  • Hartford
  • Wethersfield
  • Bloomfield
Show Less
Masoud, Amir E., MD Masoud, Amir E., MD 475.210.4727
  • Gastroenterology
  • Old Saybrook
  • Fairfield
Show Less
McLeod, Brian Scott, MD McLeod, Brian Scott, MD
4.9 /5
430 surveys
860.564.9250
  • Urology
  • Plainfield

Tallwood Urology & Kidney Institute