After a reconstructive procedure of the urethra, a transurethral catheter is usually left in place to allow adequate healing of the tissues without exposure to urine. After 7-21 days, depending on several variables (e.g. type of reconstruction, stricture etiology, …), removal of the transurethral catheter is foreseen. However, in order to do so, the clinician first wants to objectify whether the urethra has indeed healed sufficiently and therefore he/she can rely on early postoperative imaging. Up until today, there is no clear standard about when and how to do early postoperative imaging and current practices are mainly based on expert opinion and habit. Basically, two strategies can be found amongst different urethroplasty centers: peri-catheter retrograde urethrography (pcRUG) and voiding cysto-urethrography (VCUG). A pcRUG is performed by placing a small caliber tube (e.g. feeding tube 5 Fr) in the meatus urethrae of the patient, next to the transurethral catheter (which remains in place), and injecting contrast alongside the catheter. With a VCUG, contrast is injected through the transurethral catheter, up to the bladder. Thereafter, the catheter is removed and the patient is asked to urinate and thus to pass contrast through the urethra. The primary end-point of this study is to compare 'the rightful decision to maintain the catheter at the time of imaging' between pcRUG only and pcRUG followed by VCUG in a within-patient fashion.
Age range
18 Years
Sex
MALE
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Percentage of 'rightful decision to maintain the catheter at the time of imaging' between pcRUG only and VCUG.
Timeframe: 1 day (day of original investigation)