A urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra, the tube connected to the bladder that allows the passing of urine. The narrowing reduces the flow of urine and makes it more difficult or even painful to empty the bladder.Urethral stricture is caused by injury, instrumentation, infection, and certain non-infectious forms of urethritis The condition is more common in men due to their longer urethra. Signs and symptoms
The hallmark sign of urethral stricture is a weak urinary stream. Other symptoms include:
Splaying of the urinary stream
Urinary frequency
Urinary urgency
Straining to urinate
Pain during urination
Urinary tract infection
Prostatitis
Inability to completely empty the bladder.Some people with severe urethral strictures are completely unable to urinate. This is referred to as acute urinary retention, and is a medical emergency. Hydronephrosis and kidney failure may also occur. Complications
Causes
Urethral strictures most commonly result from injury, urethral instrumentation, infection, non-infectious inflammatory conditions of the urethra, and after prior hypospadias surgery. Less common causes include congenital urethral strictures and those resulting from malignancy.Urethral strictures after blunt trauma can generally be divided into two sub-types;

Pelvic fracture-associated urethral disruption occurs in as many as 15% of severe pelvic fractures. These injuries are typically managed with suprapubic tube placement and delayed urethroplasty 3 months later. Early endoscopic realignment may be used in select cases instead of a suprapubic tube, but these patients should be monitored closely as vast majority of them will require urethroplasty. Blunt trauma to the perineum compresses the bulbar urethra against the pubic symphysis, causing a "crush" injury.
The drug combination trimethoprim/polymyxin (INNs, trade name Polytrim) is an antimicrobial solution for topical ophthalmic use in the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis and blepharoconjunctivitis. == References ==