Overview
Endoscopic urethral dilation. During this outpatient procedure, your health care provider inserts a tiny
wire through your urethra and into your bladder. Next, a dilator is passed over the wire. Dilators open, or
enlarge, the urethral opening. Progressively larger dilators are used. Each is in place for just a few seconds.
The dilators gradually increase the size of the urethral opening. Talk to your care team about how often you
may need this procedure. Note: This treatment is a temporary fix. The scar tissue likely will return.
Endoscopic urethrotomy. For this procedure, your health care provider inserts a thin tube called a
cystoscope into the urethra. The cystoscope has a lens on the tip. This allows the care team to see the
stricture. Next, instruments are passed through the cystoscope. A blade may be used to cut the stricture. Or
a laser may be used to vaporize it. Note: This treatment is a temporary fix. The scar tissue likely will return.
Urethral reconstruction. For many people, urethral reconstruction is the preferred option. Typically, an
incision is made to reach the surgical area. This is called an open surgery. For this treatment, tissue from
another part of the body may be removed and used to repair the urethra. This tissue may be a flap or a
graft. A flap uses skin and tissue from a nearby penile or scrotal area. A graft uses skin from other areas of
the body or tissue from the mouth.
You may hear this surgery called urethroplasty.