Meatal stenosis

Urethral meatal stenosis is a narrowing (stenosis) of the opening of the urethra, the tube through which urineleaves the body from the urinary bladder.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Meatal stenosis can affect both males and females, but it is more common in males. In males, it is often caused by inflammationfollowing the circumcisionof a newborn. This leads to abnormal tissue growth and scarringacross the urethral opening. The problem is usually not detected until the child is toilet trained.

In females, this condition is a congenital(present from birth) abnormality which can cause urinary tract infectionsand bed-wetting (enuresis).

Symptoms

• Abnormal strength and direction of urinary stream
• Visible narrow opening at the meatus in boys
• Discomfort with urination (dysuriaand frequency)
• Incontinence(day or night)
• Bleeding (hematuria) at end of urination
• Urinary tract infections

Signs and tests

In boys, history and physical examis adequate to make the diagnosis. In girls, VCUG (voiding cystourethrogram) is usually diagnostic. Other tests may include:

• Urine analysis
• Urine culture
• CBC, basic metabolic panel
• Renal and bladder ultrasound

Treatment

In females, meatal stenosis can usually be treated in the physician's office using local anesthesiato numb the area and dilating (widening) the urethral opening with special instruments. In boys, meatoplasty, a minor outpatient surgical procedure, is the treatment of choice.

Prognosis

Most people can expect normal urination after treatment.

Complications

Persistent urinary problems including abnormal stream, painfulurination, frequent urination, urinary incontinence, blood in the urine, and increased susceptibility to urinary tract infections can be complications.

Prevention

In a recently circumcised male infant, try to maintain a clean, dry diaper and avoid any exposure of the newly circumcized penis to irrititants.

Source

• Meatal stenosis. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Public domain text.de:Meatusstenose

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meatal+stenosis Wikipedia article Meatal stenosis.