Editing AUA: Male Urethral Stricture (2016) (section)

==Post-operative Care==
* '''Either a urethral catheter or suprapubic cystostomy catheter should be placed following urethral stricture intervention to divert urine from the site of intervention and prevent urinary extravasation'''
*'''Following uncomplicated dilation or DVIU, the urethral catheter can be safely removed within 72 hours'''
**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.
**'''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
*'''Following open urethral reconstruction, urethrography or voiding cystography is typically performed 2-3 weeks to assess for complete urethral healing.''' The cather is removed if the urethra has healed adequately.
** '''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.'''
*'''Antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended at the time of urethral catheter removal in patients with certain risk factors'''.