Comprehensive Prospective Assessment of Patient-reported Outcomes Following Urethroplasty.

OBJECTIVE

To better define patient-reported outcomes after urethroplasty. While urethroplasty is the most effective treatment for urethral stricture, the majority of outcomes are reported using surgeon-defined endpoints.

METHODS

Patients were enrolled in a prospective study evaluating patient-reported outcomes after urethroplasty from 2012 to 2018. A number of domains were assessed preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively using both validated and nonvalidated measures including satisfaction, voiding function, urinary quality of life, erectile/ejaculatory function, penile appearance/curvature, and genitourinary pain.

RESULTS

Of 357 patients completing the study, mean age was 49.7 years with mean stricture length of 4.4 cm. Total 95.9% of patients were stricture-free on 6-month cystoscopy. Eighty percent of patients reported being satisfied with surgery, while 7.3% of patients were unsatisfied. Voiding function was globally improved after urethroplasty including International Prostate Symptom Score (19.3 vs 6.0; P < .0001), urinary quality of life (4.7 vs 1.6; P < .0001), postvoid dribbling (2.7 vs 2.5; P = .04), and sitting to void (2.4 vs 1.9; P < .0001). Additionally, genitourinary pain improved postoperatively (2.2 vs 1.6; P < .0001). Mean erectile function remained unchanged (17.7 vs 17.2; P = .46) but 12.0% of patients reported new onset erectile dysfunction. Reported ejaculatory dysfunction did not change significantly postoperatively (P = .13) but 7.1% of patients reported new ejaculatory dysfunction. Total 6.7% and 3.1% of patients complained of bothersome loss of penile length or curvature, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Urethroplasty improves voiding function and genitourinary pain associated with urethral stricture. While sexual function is preserved for the majority of patients, a small proportion of patients describe new onset erectile dysfunction, penile shortening or curvature and should be counselled accordingly.