Traumatic posterior urethral injury and early realignment using magnetic urethral catheters.

PURPOSE: We determined the success of early urethral realignment using magnetic urethral catheters.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 13 patients with complete urethral disruption treated with endourological realignment 0 to 11 days after injury using coaxial magnetic urethral catheters.

RESULTS

Urethral realignment was established in 11 of the 13 patients (85%) using magnetic urethral catheters. Of the 10 patients for whom followup was available urethral strictures developed in 5 (50%) a mean of 6.1 months after realignment, necessitating a mean of 1.4 corrective procedures per patient. Impotence was noted in 1 of 7 patients (14%) and no urinary incontinence developed after realignment.

CONCLUSIONS

Urethral realignment within 2 weeks of injury using magnetic urethral catheters is a safe and simple technique with minimal morbidity. The stricture formation, impotence and incontinence rates of this technique are comparable to those reported for delayed urethroplasty. We advocate early realignment using magnetic urethral sounds as an alternative treatment for traumatic urethral disruption.