TRANSURETHRAL LASER URETHROTOMY WITH ARGON-LASER - EXPERIENCE WITH 900 URETHROTOMIES IN 450 PATIENTS FROM 1978 TO 1993

From April 1978 to September 1993, the Department of Urology of Giesse n Medical School used laser urethrotomy as standard endoscopic treatme nt in benign urethral strictures. In this period, 900 urethrotomies we re performed in 450 patients. The majority of strictures treated were iatrogenic (65%), located in the posterior urethra (62.8%) and classif ied as short (less than or equal to cm) (71%). Argon laser urethrotomy was carried out in the 12 degrees position according to the technique of internal optical urethrotomy. An indwelling transurethral catheter was left for 48 h after urethrotomy. Uroflowmetry after argon laser u rethrotomy revealed the efficacy of the method. A retrospective analys is of the operations was performed. Analysis showed that recurrence ap peared on average after 15.2 months (range 1-39) in up to 70.1%. Nearl y 50% of recurrence was evident within 1 year following surgery. Recur rence was independent of location, length and etiology of the strictur e. We conclude according to our data that argon laser urethrotomy is t echnically feasible. Due to the high recurrence rate the method offers no advantage over conventional internal optical urethrotomy.