[Present status of transurethral laser technique in the treatment of urethral strictures (author's transl)].

The main difference between the conventional methods of urethrotomy and the laser method is that the scar tissue of the urethral stricture is not cut but removed by evaporisation. At present only neodymium: YAG and argon ion lasers are available for clinical endoscopic use. For the purpose of removing tissue neodymium: YAG lasers need irrigation with a gas in contrast to argon ion lasers that can be utilized with the well known water irrigation. Certain considerations and experiences suggest the carbon dioxide lasers to be the best ones for evaporating stricture tissue since they cause very limited zones of necrosis with immediate sealing of the wound edges. Transurethral carbon dioxide laser application, however, is still at an experimental stage, since convenient light transmission systems are not available for clinical use at the present time.