Effect of catheter material on the incidence of urethral strictures.

The aetiology of urethral strictures in patients catheterised for short periods at the time of surgery is the subject of some debate. The occurrence of epidemics of strictures associated with certain batches of latex catheters, and the demonstrable in vitro cytotoxicity of latex in general, have supported the suggestion that catheter material (and in particular latex) has an important role. We have looked retrospectively at 299 patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate gland by 1 urologist, 135 of whom had a latex catheter and 164 a plastic one; 19 patients developed strictures over the next 12 months with no proven difference attributable to the catheter material. The study provides no evidence that the short-term use of latex catheters is associated with stricture formation.