Idiopathic urethritis in the adolescent male.

OBJECTIVE

To study adolescent males presenting with protracted blood spotting and dysuria in an attempt to further understand the precise pathology and endoscopic findings in these boys.

METHODS

Over a 3-year period the 7 patients had video endoscopies and tests to exclude infective and immunological disease.

RESULTS

All boys were found to have a similar well-defined, circumferential length of inflammation in the bulbar urethra. No specific aetiology was illucidated, but 2 cases had a urethral stricture at the time of presentation, and two further cases subsequently required urethral dilatation. Two boys had a borderline low IgG, of probably little significance.

CONCLUSION

Boys presenting with prolonged symptoms of dysuria and haematuria should be endoscoped, and detailed investigations looking for fastidious organisms and immune deficiency seem appropriate in those with significant urethral ulceration.