Editing AUA: Urethral Stricture Disease (2023) (section)

===Post-operative Care===
*'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Following urethral stricture intervention, either a urethral catheter or suprapubic cystostomy catheter should be placed to divert urine from the site of intervention and prevent urinary extravasation</span>'''
**A urethral catheter is thought to be optimal as it may serve as a stent around which the site of urethra intervention can heal
*'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Duration of catheterization</span>'''
**'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Following uncomplicated dilation or DVIU, the urethral catheter can be safely removed within 72 hours</span>'''
***There is no evidence that leaving the catheter longer than 72 hours improves safety or outcome, and catheters may be removed after 24-72 hours.
***Catheters may be left in longer for patient convenience or if in the surgeon’s judgment early removal will increase the risk of complications.
**'''In patients who are not candidates for urethroplasty, clinicians may recommend self-catheterization after DVIU to maintain temporary urethral patency'''.
***The optimal protocol for DVIU plus self-catheterization remains uncertain. However, data suggests that performing self-catheterization for > 4 months after DVIU reduced recurrence rates compared to performing self-catheterization for < 3 months.
***Even though the risk of UTI does not appear to be increased in patients performing self-catheterization after DVIU, the ability to continue with self-catheterization may be limited in some patients by manual dexterity or pain with catheterization
**'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Following open urethral reconstruction, the catheter is maintained typically 2-3 weeks until urethrography or voiding cystography, demonstrates complete urethral healing</span>'''
***'''Replacement of the urinary catheter is recommended in the setting of a persistent urethral leak to avoid tissue inflammation, urinoma, abscess, and/or urethrocutaneous fistula.'''
***'''A urethral leak will heal in almost all circumstances with a longer duration of catheter drainage.'''
*'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Antibiotic prophylaxis at the time of urethral catheter removal'''
**'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Recommended in patients with certain risk factors'''