Direct vision cold knife urethrotomy.

During a 3-year period urethral strictures in 75 patients were treated by cold knife urethrotomy. Analysis of the etiology, diagnosis, surgical technique, complications and postoperative management is described. Satisfactory results were achieved in 71 per cent of the cases. The over-all morbidity rate was 9 per cent. Patients with strictures more than 2 cm. long had unsatisfactory results, while those managed with a silicone catheter postoperative for less than 7 days had better results. Direct vision cold knife urethrotomy is a safe technique that should be exercised as a therapeutic trial before a final decision is made to perform definitive urethroplasty.