Optical urethrotomy under local urethral anaesthesia.

A series of 46 patients underwent 76 optical urethrotomies under local urethral anaesthesia in the out-patient clinic; in 70% of patients the strictures were controlled by local anaesthetic urethrotomy alone; 61% felt either no pain or mild pain during the procedure; 72% expressed a preference for local anaesthesia should the procedure have to be repeated and 82% were happy with the result of their treatment. Optical urethrotomy under local urethral anaesthesia produces results comparable to those reported by others using general anaesthesia. If large numbers of patients are to be treated, possibly repeatedly, then out-patient urethrotomy may result in more efficient use of resources.