Although stricture of the anterior urethra is becoming less frequent, owing to the relative disappearance of venereal disease, trauma, both external and internal, still produces a sufficient number of strictures of the anterior urethra to make these conditions fairly frequent. In addition, the greater incidence of operations upon the prostatic urethra has increased the number of instances of stricture formation at the bladder neck.
The majority of strictures of both the anterior and posterior urethra are adequately treated by conservative methods. These are sufficient to control infection and maintain a lumen which is satisfactory enough to prevent infection and back pressure effects upon the bladder and upper urinary tracts. Since these changes may be insidious, frequent check-ups by means of intravenous pyelography are necessary in addition to periodic study of the urethra and the urine.
Patients with strictures of the anterior urethra can usually be maintained satisfactorily by instrumental dilatation