Meatal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the urethral opening (meatus). If the narrowing becomes significant, urine will have difficulty flowing from the bladder and may lead to incomplete emptying of bladder and kidney damage. It can affect both males and females, but is more common in males. It is usually acquired but can exist since birth.

SYMPTOMS

• • Pain or burning with urination
• • Urgency of urination
• • Frequency of urination
• • Abnormal strength and direction of urine stream
• • Bed wetting
• • Bleeding (hematuria) at end of urination
• • Discomfort/Straining with urination
• • Incontinence
• • Visible narrow opening in males

CAUSES

- After circumcision
- Chronic catheterization
- Surgery on the urethra

DIAGNOSIS

- History & Physical examination
- Kidney and bladder ultrasound
- Voiding cystourethrogram

TREATMENT METHODS

Treatment is by surgery called meatoplasty or meatotomy where a small cut is made to enlarge the hole.

You may also like to learn about:

Stricture urethra
Circumcision
Hypospadias
Hematuria
Frequent/urgent urination
Incontinence-Urinary/Urge