Re: Urethroplasty practice and surveillance patterns: A survey of reconstructive urologists

摘要

Editorial Comment: What is the appropriate postoperative followup protocol for urethroplasty? This question was posed via email to members of the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons. With a response rate of 49% (90 of 184) the subspecialty membership reported a variety of followup practice patterns, with 41% of participants following patients indefinitely. Regarding definitions of success and failure, the most common mark of failure reported was the need for an additional surgical procedure, while a minority of respondents prefer cystoscopy passage. This is a complex issue that will become increasingly important to address. Patients and families are increasingly reluctant to spend their time driving in traffic, parking and waiting to be seen for simple face-to-face reassurance, especially when they are asymptomatic. Unhelpful negative studies and unnecessary procedures increase medical costs dramatically. As urological manpower in this country becomes increasingly scarce, allocation of health care resources must be purposeful and impactful, especially at regional referral centers, where travel costs may be considerable.