Direct vision internal urethrotomy in 459 urethral stricture patients at Mulago Hospital, Kampala.

Four hundred and fifty nine patients seen with simple urethral strictures between 1990 and 1998 underwent direct vision urethrotomy.. The procedure was successful in 441 patients and failed in only 18 patients. Postoperative complications included fever in 31 patients, urethral bleeding in 14 and epididymitis in 17 patients. The average hospital stay for patients who did not develop complications was 3 days. In conclusion, direct vision internal urethrotomy can be used to treat simple urethral strictures. It is an easy and short procedure and only associated with minor complications.