Evaluation of urethral traumas in children: A retrospective analysis

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate posttraumatic urethral injuries treated at two centers and evaluate the findings in light of the existing literature. Patients and methods: The records of 14 male patients (mean age: 10.2±2.9 years; range, 4 to 13 years) who underwent treatment for urethral trauma between 2010 and 2015 at the first clinic and between 2017 and 2022 at the second clinic were retrospectively analyzed. Variables including age, sex, etiology of trauma, location of urethral injury, presence of associated injuries, surgical interventions performed, and treatment outcomes were systematically assessed. Results: Motor vehicle accidents emerged as the most frequent cause of injury with eight (57.1%) patients. Urethral injuries were observed in seven patients at the bladder neck, six at the posterior urethra, and one at the anterior urethra. Two patients sustained complete injuries, whereas partial injuries were identified in the remaining 12 cases. All patients initially received either a cystofix catheter or a urethral catheter. Two patients underwent open urethroplasty, while internal urethrotomy was performed in 10 patients. Two patients experienced spontaneous recovery without the need for surgical intervention. The patients achieved complete recovery from their initial presentation. Conclusion: Although open repair of urethral injuries may offer a lower risk of recurrence, delayed internal urethrotomy, which is a less invasive approach, should be considered the primary treatment choice in children.