Healing After Urethral Trauma: Catheter Care, Follow-Up Cystoscopy and Checking for Narrowing

The ladder was only eight feet tall. He landed astride the railing, and the first thing he noticed in the emergency department was not the pain in his pelvis but the blood at the tip of his penis and the fact that he could not pass urine. Two hours later a tube was draining his bladder, a nurse was explaining a leg bag, and his partner was already typing urethral injury healing time into a phone.

Most people who get this injury have never heard of the urethra as a structure that can be hurt. It is a plumbing line few of us think about until it stops working. And the questions that follow are practical ones: how long does the catheter stay, what does the follow-up camera test involve, and what is this "narrowing" the urologist keeps mentioning?

This explainer walks through the whole arc, from the first days of drainage to the months of quiet checking that come afterward, using what mainstream urology sources actually say rather than what the internet hopes.

What a urethral injury actually is, and why the urethra heals differently from skin

The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. In men it runs from the bladder neck, through the prostate, under the pelvic bones and along the penis; in women it is short, a few centimeters, and sits just above the vaginal opening. Urologists split the male urethra into a posterior section, the deep part near the prostate and pelvic floor, and an anterior section, the part in the perineum and penis. That split matters because the two sections are injured in different ways and heal on different schedules.

Posterior injuries usually accompany a pelvic fracture, when broken bone shears the urethra where it is fixed in place. Anterior injuries more often follow a straddle fall onto a bicycle frame or fence, a direct kick, or a catheter pushed into a channel that was already tight. MedlinePlus lists these mechanisms, along with injury during surgery, as the common causes, and notes that women are affected far less often because their urethra is short and protected.

Here is why healing is different from a cut on your arm. Skin closes by forming a scar, and on most of the body a scar is cosmetic. The urethra is a tube. When its lining, called the urothelium, is torn and heals by scarring, the scar contracts as it matures, and a contracting scar inside a tube makes the tube narrower. That narrowing is a urethral stricture.

So the goal of early care is not simply to close the tear. It is to keep the channel open and aligned while tissue knits, so the scar that inevitably forms stays thin and does not choke the passage. That one idea explains nearly everything that follows: the catheter, the waiting, the flow tests and the follow-up cystoscopy.

Urethral injury healing time: the phases your body moves through

Tissue repair anywhere in the body follows a recognizable order, and the urethra is no exception. Understanding the order helps make sense of why a urologist relaxes about some things early and worries about others late.

The first phase is inflammation. Blood vessels leak, the area swells, and immune cells clear debris. In the urethra this shows up as blood at the tip, bruising of the perineum or scrotum, and an inability to pass urine because swollen tissue and clot block the way. It is also the phase in which urine itself becomes a problem. Urine is irritating to raw tissue, and if it leaks through a tear into the surrounding fat it provokes more inflammation and, potentially, infection. Diverting urine away from the injury, usually with a catheter, is the whole point of early treatment.

The second phase is proliferation. New cells creep across the defect, small blood vessels grow, and fibroblasts lay down collagen. For a shallow injury this is when the lining reforms over the catheter, which is acting as an internal scaffold.

The third phase is remodeling, and it is the slow one. Collagen is reorganized, cross-linked and pulled tighter over weeks to months. This is when a scar contracts, and it is why a stricture can declare itself long after the person felt healed. Cleveland Clinic and MedlinePlus both describe strictures appearing well after the original injury or instrumentation, which is why follow-up is scheduled across months rather than days.

Put plainly: the tear can be sealed in weeks, but the shape of the channel is still being decided for months. The catheter phase addresses the first problem. Surveillance addresses the second.

Who gets a catheter right away, and who is asked to wait for delayed repair

The treatment path is chosen by the type of injury, and it is one of the first decisions the urology team makes, often with an X-ray called a retrograde urethrogram, in which contrast dye is gently injected into the urethral opening to show where it leaks.

A contusion, meaning bruising without a visible tear, is the mildest category. If dye passes through cleanly, a catheter can usually be placed and left for a short period while swelling settles. MedlinePlus describes these minor injuries as ones that commonly heal with drainage alone.

A partial tear, where some of the wall is still intact, is often managed with a catheter that bridges the gap and acts as a stent, a supportive tube that holds a channel open. Sometimes the team prefers a suprapubic catheter, a tube placed through the lower abdominal wall directly into the bladder, so nothing touches the healing urethra at all.

A complete disruption, most often with a pelvic fracture, is different. The two ends may be pulled apart by bleeding and displaced bone. Trying to force a catheter through can worsen the damage. Standard practice in this situation is a suprapubic catheter for drainage, sometimes with a gentle attempt to realign the ends using a camera, followed by a waiting period. Reconstruction, called urethroplasty, is usually deferred until swelling has gone and the scar has matured, because operating on tissue that is still remodeling makes the repair less predictable.

Women and children with urethral injury are more often taken for early repair because their anatomy makes delayed reconstruction harder. Anyone with life-threatening bleeding or other injuries is stabilized first; the urethra can wait, the circulation cannot. Every one of these choices sits with the treating team, and the path can change as imaging clarifies the picture.

What the catheter is doing while the urethra heals

A urinary catheter is a soft, flexible tube that drains urine from the bladder into a bag. After urethral trauma it does three jobs at once, and knowing them makes the inconvenience easier to tolerate.

First, it drains. A bladder that cannot empty stretches painfully and, over hours, can back pressure up toward the kidneys. Draining removes that danger immediately.

Second, it diverts. Urine leaving the body through the tube, rather than washing over torn tissue, keeps the wound cleaner and less inflamed. With a suprapubic catheter the diversion is total; with a urethral catheter, urine flows inside the tube while the tissue around it heals.

Third, and only when it lies through the urethra, it aligns. The catheter holds the two edges of a tear in the same line so that the lining regrows across a straight channel rather than a kinked one. This is the stenting role, and it is why the team may be strict about the catheter not being tugged, changed or removed early.

What the catheter does not do is stretch the urethra or prevent scar from forming. Scar forms regardless; the catheter influences its shape, not its existence.

Most indwelling catheters are held in the bladder by a small water-filled balloon near the tip, which is why they cannot simply be pulled out and why a catheter that seems to be slipping should be reported rather than pushed back in. NHS guidance describes both urethral and suprapubic catheters as routine devices, with the choice depending on the reason for drainage. The length of time it stays in after trauma ranges from days to weeks depending on the injury, according to MedlinePlus, and the team will give you a plan specific to yours.

Catheter care at home: the daily routine that protects the repair

Going home with a catheter feels like a downgrade in dignity. It is, in fact, the phase where your own hands do the most to protect the outcome. The routine is not complicated, but it rewards consistency.

Hand washing before and after touching any part of the system is the single habit MedlinePlus puts first, and for good reason: most catheter infections start with bacteria carried to the tube on fingers. Once a day, wash the skin where the catheter enters the body with mild soap and warm water, wiping away from the opening, then pat dry. For a suprapubic tube, the same applies to the small abdominal site, plus any dressing routine the team has shown you. Creams and powders are not needed unless prescribed.

Keep the drainage bag below the level of the bladder at all times so gravity works for you rather than against you. Secure the tube to the thigh with the strap or adhesive fixation provided so that movement pulls on the strap, not on the catheter. MedlinePlus advises emptying the bag before it fills, roughly every eight hours, and never letting the outlet touch the toilet or the floor.

Many people use a smaller leg bag during the day and connect a larger night bag on a stand while asleep. Fluids matter: drinking steadily keeps urine dilute and flowing, which reduces the sediment that clogs tubes. Constipation matters too, because a loaded bowel presses on the bladder and can cause spasms and leakage, so keep fiber and fluids up and ask about a stool softener if needed.

Showering with a catheter is generally fine, per NHS guidance; baths and swimming usually wait for the team’s go-ahead. Loose underwear and unhurried movement round out a routine that, within a few days, most people manage without thinking.

Catheter problems: blockage, leaking, bleeding and infection

Four problems account for most out-of-hours calls, and each has a usual explanation.

Blockage announces itself as a bag that stops filling while the lower abdomen feels increasingly full or crampy. The first things to check are mechanical: a kinked tube, a bag positioned above the bladder, or a strap pulled too tight. If the tube is straight and nothing drains for several hours, the catheter may be blocked by sediment or clot and needs attention from a clinician the same day, not tomorrow.

Leaking around the catheter, sometimes called bypassing, often follows a bladder spasm, an involuntary squeeze of the bladder muscle around the foreign object. It can also mean partial blockage forcing urine around the tube. Occasional dampness is common; continuous leaking with a bag that is not filling points to blockage.

Bleeding is the one that frightens people most. A pink tinge, especially after moving about or a bowel movement, is expected after urethral trauma and after catheter placement, and NHS guidance describes small amounts of blood as usual. Frank red urine, clots, or bleeding that increases rather than fades is not, and warrants a call.

Infection is the risk that every catheter carries, because the tube gives bacteria a road into the bladder. Cloudy or foul-smelling urine alone is not proof; catheter urine often looks and smells different. The concerning combination is fever, chills, new pain in the lower abdomen, flank or back, feeling suddenly unwell, or confusion in an older person. MedlinePlus and NHS both list those signs as reasons to contact the care team promptly rather than to wait and see. A catheter that falls out entirely should also be reported the same day, because the balloon can injure the healing channel on the way past and the bladder will need draining again.

When the catheter comes out: the trial without catheter

Removal is planned, not improvised. Before the tube comes out, the team may repeat imaging, this time a pericatheter urethrogram, in which dye is injected alongside the catheter to confirm no urine leaks through the old tear. If dye escapes, the catheter usually stays a while longer. If the channel is sealed, the trial can proceed.

The procedure itself is brief. The balloon is deflated with a syringe and the tube slides out, which feels strange and briefly stings rather than hurts. Then comes the part many people find nerve-racking: waiting to see whether the bladder empties on its own. You are asked to drink, to note the time and volume of each void, and a clinician may use a handheld bladder scanner, a small ultrasound device held on the lower abdomen, to measure how much is left behind afterward.

The first few voids are commonly uncomfortable. A stream that starts hesitantly, burns, or looks pink is expected while the irritated lining settles; NHS guidance on catheter removal describes short-lived stinging and urgency as normal. What the team is watching for is emptying that is reasonably complete and comfortable within the observation period.

Sometimes the bladder does not cooperate. A muscle that has been on standby for weeks can be sluggish, swelling can narrow the channel, or anxiety can make the pelvic floor clamp down. In that case the catheter is replaced and another trial is scheduled. This is not a failure of healing; it is information, and it is common enough that units have a name for it, the failed trial without catheter, and a routine for repeating it.

Once you are voiding independently, the calendar shifts from days to months, and a different kind of watching begins.

Cystoscopy after urethral injury: what actually happens

Cystoscopy is an examination of the inside of the urethra and bladder using a thin tube with a camera and light, called a cystoscope. After urethral trauma it is the most direct way to see whether the channel has healed straight, whether scar is forming, and how wide the passage is.

Two versions exist. Flexible cystoscopy uses a soft, bendable scope, is done awake with a numbing gel placed into the urethra, and according to the NHS takes about five to ten minutes. Rigid cystoscopy uses a straight metal scope under general or spinal anesthesia and is chosen when the surgeon may need to treat something during the same session.

For a flexible study, you lie on your back, the gel is applied and allowed to work, and the scope is passed slowly along the urethra with sterile water flowing to open the view. You may be asked to relax as if starting to pass urine, which loosens the sphincter. The surgeon watches the screen and often turns it so you can see too. Discomfort is usually described as pressure and a strong urge to urinate rather than sharp pain, and it settles quickly.

Afterward, the NHS describes burning on urinating, a need to go more often, and pink-tinged urine for a day or two as expected. Drinking steadily helps. Fever, inability to pass urine or bleeding that increases are reasons to call.

Cystoscopy can also treat, not just look. If a short stricture is found, the surgeon may dilate it with graduated instruments or cut it internally with a tiny blade, a procedure called urethrotomy. Whether to do that, and when, is a decision made with you beforehand, because those treatments have their own recurrence patterns, discussed below.

How doctors check for narrowing: uroflowmetry, imaging and cystoscopy compared

No single test does everything, so surveillance after urethral injury usually combines a simple flow measurement with imaging or a camera when the flow raises questions. The table lays out what each involves and what it can and cannot tell you.

Test	What you do	What it shows	Limits
Uroflowmetry	Urinate with a full bladder into a funnel connected to a meter	Peak and average flow rate and the shape of the flow curve; a flat, prolonged curve suggests obstruction	Cannot show where or why the narrowing is; a weak bladder and a stricture can look similar
Post-void residual scan	Handheld ultrasound on the lower abdomen after urinating	How much urine is left in the bladder	Indirect; does not image the urethra
Retrograde urethrogram	Contrast dye injected at the urethral opening, then X-rays	Length, location and severity of a stricture; any leak	Involves radiation and mild discomfort; less detail for the deepest urethra unless combined with a voiding study
Flexible cystoscopy	Camera passed along the urethra under numbing gel	Direct view of the lining, scar and channel width	Cannot measure how long a tight stricture is if the scope cannot pass it; brief irritation afterward
Symptom questionnaire	Answer standardized questions about stream, straining, dribbling	How the person is actually functioning	Subjective; symptoms often lag behind changes in flow

In practice, uroflowmetry is the workhorse because it is quick, painless and repeatable, so it is often done at each follow-up visit with the more invasive tests reserved for a falling flow or new symptoms. The point of layering them is that a stricture can tighten silently, and MedlinePlus notes that the classic signs, weak or spraying stream and straining, may be subtle at first. Numbers on a flow meter tend to change before the person notices. That is why the visits continue even when you feel fine.

Urethral stricture after catheter or injury: what the evidence shows about risk

A urethral stricture is a segment of scar that narrows the urethra. MedlinePlus lists injury, infection, and previous instrumentation such as catheters or surgery as the main causes, and after urethral trauma several of those factors can stack up in the same person.

Risk is not uniform. A contusion that drains cleanly carries a lower chance of later narrowing than a partial tear, and a partial tear carries a lower chance than a complete disruption with a pelvic fracture, where the two ends heal with a block of scar between them. Cleveland Clinic describes straddle injuries and pelvic fracture as characteristic causes of stricture in men, and notes that symptoms can emerge long after the event. Infection during the catheter period, and repeated or forceful catheter passage, add to the scarring signal.

Does the catheter itself cause strictures? It can, which is why teams weigh the stenting benefit against the irritation cost, use the softest appropriate tube, avoid unnecessary changes, and sometimes prefer a suprapubic route that leaves the urethra untouched. The catheter is a tool with trade-offs, not a villain.

When a stricture is found, three families of treatment exist, and Cleveland Clinic describes each. Dilation stretches the scar with progressively wider instruments. Urethrotomy cuts the scar from inside under camera vision. Urethroplasty removes or bypasses the scarred segment surgically, sometimes using a graft of tissue from inside the cheek. Cleveland Clinic and MedlinePlus both note that dilation and internal cutting are quick but that strictures frequently return after them, particularly when the scar is long or dense, while open reconstruction is more involved and is generally the option offered when the simpler approaches have failed or the stricture is extensive.

Which route suits a given person depends on the length and position of the scar and on their overall health, and that judgment belongs to the treating urologist. What the evidence supports firmly is the principle behind surveillance: a stricture caught while the flow is merely slowing is easier to characterize and plan for than one found when urine will not pass at all.

Urethral injury healing time, month by month: what the following weeks usually look like

Every recovery is shaped by the injury and the person, so treat what follows as a typical outline rather than a schedule.

The first days are about pain control, drainage and, if there was a pelvic fracture, the orthopedic plan. Bruising in the perineum and scrotum spreads and then fades through purple and yellow. Sitting is uncomfortable; a cushion with a cutout helps.

The catheter weeks are quieter than people fear. The routine described earlier becomes automatic. Walking is encouraged both for general recovery and because movement keeps the bowel working and reduces clot risk after trauma. Lifting, cycling and anything that presses the perineum are usually off the table until the team says otherwise. Work that is desk-based can often resume while the catheter is still in; manual work waits.

Catheter removal, whenever it comes, brings the trial described above and a week or two of irritated voiding that gradually normalizes.

The months after removal are the surveillance phase. Flow measurements at intervals, with cystoscopy or imaging if the flow drops, are how the team tracks the remodeling scar. For people awaiting delayed reconstruction of a complete disruption, this period also allows the scar to stabilize so the surgeon can plan a repair on tissue that has stopped changing.

Sexual function deserves an honest word. MedlinePlus lists erectile dysfunction among the possible complications of urethral and pelvic trauma, because the nerves and vessels that serve erection run close to the posterior urethra. Many men notice changes early that improve as swelling and bruising settle; some do not, and there are established treatments that a urologist can discuss. Ejaculation may feel different, and blood in semen can occur early. None of this should be sorted out alone; it is part of the follow-up conversation, and raising it early gives more options.

What people often get wrong

Recovering from an injury nobody talks about means absorbing a lot of folklore. These are the misunderstandings urologists hear most often.

"The catheter is out, so I’m healed." Catheter removal marks the end of the sealing phase, not the end of remodeling. The scar keeps changing for months, which is why follow-up visits exist.

"A weaker stream is just getting older." After urethral trauma, a stream that slows, splits or sprays should be assumed to be the injury until proven otherwise. MedlinePlus lists exactly those changes as stricture signs, and a flow test can settle the question quickly.

"Drinking less will stop the leaking." Concentrated urine irritates the bladder, encourages sediment that blocks catheters, and raises infection risk. Steady fluid intake is protective, not the problem.

"Pulling the catheter early speeds things up." The balloon inside the bladder can tear the healing channel on the way out, and removing the stent before the lining has bridged the gap invites a wider scar. Early removal is a clinical decision, not a personal one.

"Once a stricture is treated, it’s gone." Cleveland Clinic is candid that strictures often recur after dilation or internal cutting. Treatment plans anticipate that, which is another reason surveillance continues afterward.

"Women don’t get this." Female urethral injury is much less common because the urethra is short and shielded, but it does occur with pelvic fractures and childbirth-related trauma, and it is managed by the same principles.

"Bleeding means something has gone wrong." Light pink urine after catheter care, movement or cystoscopy is expected and described as normal by the NHS. Heavy or worsening bleeding is different and is covered in the red-flag section below.

Questions to ask your care team

A good follow-up appointment is a conversation, and the most useful conversations start with specific questions. Bring these, cross off the ones already answered, and write down the replies, because the details blur after a hospital stay.

• Which part of my urethra was injured, and was it a bruise, a partial tear or a complete tear? This determines almost everything else.
• Is my catheter through the urethra or through the abdomen, and why was that route chosen for me?
• How long do you expect the catheter to stay, and what would make you leave it in longer or take it out sooner?
• Will you image the urethra before removing the catheter, and what are you looking for?
• If I cannot pass urine after removal, what happens next, and who do I contact out of hours?
• What follow-up tests are planned, how often, and for how long after I feel back to normal?
• What changes in my stream should make me call before the next scheduled visit?
• If a stricture develops, which treatment options would you consider in my case, and what are the recurrence patterns with each?
• Am I a candidate for delayed reconstruction, and what would the waiting period be used for?
• What activities are restricted, and for how long: cycling, lifting, sexual activity, contact sport?
• What effects on erections, ejaculation or fertility should I watch for, and when should I raise them?
• Are there signs of infection specific to my type of catheter that I should know?
• Who is coordinating between urology and orthopedics or trauma surgery if more than one team is involved?

None of these have universal answers. The value is in hearing the answer that applies to your injury, from the people who saw the imaging and will make the decisions with you.

When to call your doctor

Most of recovery is uneventful, but a few situations should not wait for the next appointment. The following are widely listed by MedlinePlus and NHS guidance as reasons to contact the care team the same day or, where noted, to seek emergency care.

While the catheter is in: no urine draining for several hours together with a growing feeling of fullness or lower abdominal pain, after checking for kinks and bag position; the catheter falling out or the balloon appearing at the tip; urine that turns frankly red, contains clots, or bleeds more rather than less; fever, chills, shaking, new pain in the flank or back, vomiting, or sudden confusion, which together can signal an infection spreading beyond the bladder; increasing swelling, redness or pus at a suprapubic site; and swelling of the scrotum or perineum that is expanding rather than fading.

After the catheter is out: being unable to pass urine at all, especially with pain, which is an emergency; passing only small dribbles with straining; a stream that becomes noticeably weaker, thinner, split or sprayed over days to weeks; repeated urinary infections; new dribbling after finishing or a persistent sense of incomplete emptying; and any return of blood in the urine after it had cleared.

At any stage: severe pelvic or abdominal pain, chest pain or breathlessness, or a swollen, painful calf, because people recovering from major trauma carry a raised risk of blood clots.

When in doubt, call. The team that placed the catheter and read the imaging would rather hear about a borderline symptom early than see the consequence of a blocked bladder or a tightening stricture later. They will decide what needs seeing today, what can wait for clinic, and what is simply the ordinary noise of a urethra knitting itself back together.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a urethral tear take to heal?

A shallow tear or bruise often seals over a catheter within days to a few weeks, according to MedlinePlus, while a complete tear needs longer drainage and usually delayed surgical repair. The lining closes relatively quickly, but the scar underneath keeps remodeling for months, so the true healing time is measured by follow-up flow tests rather than by the day the catheter comes out. Your treating team can give a range specific to your injury type.

What urethral injury symptoms should prompt a call once I am home?

Call the same day if no urine drains for several hours with a feeling of fullness, if you develop fever or chills, if bleeding becomes heavy or contains clots, or if the catheter falls out. After removal, a stream that weakens, splits or sprays, straining to start, dribbling, or repeated infections should be reported before your next visit. Being unable to pass urine at all, especially with pain, is an emergency.

Is cystoscopy after urethral injury painful?

Flexible cystoscopy is done awake with numbing gel and most people describe pressure and a strong urge to urinate rather than sharp pain. The NHS puts the examination at about five to ten minutes. Afterward, stinging on urinating and pink-tinged urine for a day or two are expected. If a scarred segment is very tight the surgeon may stop rather than force the scope, and discuss imaging or a procedure under anesthesia instead.

Can I shower with a urinary catheter in place?

Yes, in most cases. NHS guidance describes showering as fine with an indwelling catheter, as long as the bag stays connected and below bladder level and the site is patted dry afterward. Baths and swimming are usually discouraged until the team clears them, particularly with a fresh suprapubic site. Avoid pulling on the tube while washing, and wash hands before and after handling any part of the system.

Why does the urine in my bag look pink?

A light pink tinge is common after urethral trauma and after catheter placement, and the NHS describes small amounts of blood as usual, especially after moving around, coughing or a bowel movement. The irritated lining bleeds easily while it heals. Urine that becomes frankly red, contains clots, or bleeds more each day rather than fading is different and should prompt a same-day call to the care team.

Will urethral trauma affect erections or sex?

It can. MedlinePlus lists erectile dysfunction among the possible complications of urethral and pelvic injury, because the nerves and blood vessels serving erection run close to the posterior urethra. Some men notice early changes that improve as swelling settles; others have lasting change, and established treatments exist that a urologist can discuss. Sexual activity is generally paused until the team confirms the channel has sealed, and any concerns are worth raising early.

Does having a catheter cause urethral stricture after catheter removal?

It can contribute. MedlinePlus lists catheters and other instrumentation among stricture causes, alongside injury and infection. After trauma, the catheter’s benefit as an internal scaffold usually outweighs the irritation risk, and teams minimize that risk by using the softest suitable tube, avoiding unnecessary changes, and sometimes choosing a suprapubic route that bypasses the urethra entirely. Follow-up flow tests are how any narrowing is detected early.

What is a suprapubic catheter and why would I have one instead?

A suprapubic catheter is a drainage tube placed through the lower abdominal wall directly into the bladder, so urine leaves the body without passing through the urethra. After a complete or badly displaced urethral tear, it drains the bladder without disturbing the healing channel and keeps urine away from raw tissue. It is also used when a urethral catheter cannot be passed safely. The route is chosen by the treating team based on imaging.

How often will I need follow-up checks for narrowing?

Schedules vary with injury severity, so ask your team for yours. A common pattern is a flow measurement at each visit in the months after catheter removal, with cystoscopy or a dye X-ray added if the flow falls or symptoms change. Because Cleveland Clinic and MedlinePlus describe strictures appearing long after the original injury, visits typically continue well beyond the point at which you feel recovered.

Can a urethral stricture come back after treatment?

Yes, and this is stated plainly by Cleveland Clinic: strictures often recur after dilation or internal cutting, particularly when the scar is long or dense. Surgical reconstruction is generally offered when simpler approaches have failed or the stricture is extensive. Which option suits you depends on the scar’s length and position and your overall health, and ongoing surveillance is part of every plan so that recurrence is caught while flow is merely slowing.

References

• MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Traumatic injury of the bladder and urethra
• MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Urethral stricture
• MedlinePlus Patient Instructions: Indwelling catheter care
• NHS: Urinary catheter

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.