Surgical treatment of urethritis in Kharkiv

Urethritis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the urinary tract (urethra) walls. In most cases, the cause of the pathology development is infectious diseases of urinary tract caused by the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into it: bacteria, fungi, viruses. Much less often, urethritis occurs due to irritation of the urethra walls due to taking medications, eating spicy or very acidic foods, mechanical injuries.

Due to the differences in the anatomical structure of the genitourinary system, urethritis in men and women proceeds differently. In men, the symptoms of the disease appear acutely, while in women it can be latent for a long time. Treatment of urethritis in men is usually longer than in women, since the length of their urethra can reach 20-23 cm. In women, the length of urethra is only 3-5 cm.

Urethritis is sexually transmitted, so not only the patient, but also his/her partner should undergo therapy. Untimely treatment of urethritis in women and men leads to serious complications, including infertility.

What are the types of urethritis?

By the cause of the occurrence, urethritis can be as follows:

• infectious (caused by the ingress of pathogens into the urethra). Infectious urethritis can be specific (when infected with sexually transmitted infections - chlamydia, trichomoniasis, etc.) and non-specific. Non-specific urethritis is caused by opportunistic pathogenic microflora - streptococci, E. coli bacteria, etc.;
• non-infectious (caused by taking certain medications, trauma to urethra, or resulting from an allergic reaction). Non-infectious urethritis after childbirth can occur due to hormone imbalance, weakened immune system and urinary stagnation.

Types of urethritis depending on the type of pathogen:

• gonorrheal (caused by gonococcus);
• non-gonorrheal (caused by other bacteria, viruses and fungi - chlamydia, Trichomonas, candida).

Urethritis can be primary when the focus of inflammation is urethra, and secondary when the infection has entered it from another organ, such as the bladder or vagina. By the nature of the course, urethritis is divided into:

• acute (lasting no longer than two weeks);
• chronic (the disease lasts longer than two weeks and is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation). Chronic urethritis is often the result of untreated acute urethritis.

Urethritis symptoms

Common symptoms of urethritis are:

• itching, burning and pain during urination;
•  presence of blood in the urine;
• discharge from the urethra.

Urethritis in men can cause difficulties with urination, up to and including acute retention. Specific signs of urethritis are the following:

• acute gonorrheal urethritis in women is accompanied by pain during urination, and in the chronic course of the pathology, symptoms are usually absent. In men with acute gonorrheal urethritis, in addition to itching and burning during urination, pus appears from the urethra. In chronic urethritis, the discharge increases after sexual intercourse or alcohol consumption;
• non-gonorrheal urethritis. The first signs of the disease (itching, burning, mucous discharge from the urethra, blood in the urine) appear about two weeks after infection. Non-gonococcal urethritis can be asymptomatic for a long time, which greatly complicates the diagnosis. A patient often seeks medical advice when the disease has led to the development of complications (for example, inflammation of the prostate in men and difficulties with the onset of pregnancy in women);
• bacterial urethritis in men is manifested by itching in the groin, swelling of penis and redness of its glans, as well as mucopurulent discharge with a specific unpleasant odor, especially in the morning. Bacterial urethritis in women can occur during pregnancy, posing a threat to the normal development of the baby. Acute bacterial urethritis is manifested by frequent urination, itching and burning sensation in the urethra;
• chlamydial urethritis is accompanied by mild symptoms (pain, burning, clear or cloudy purulent discharge from the urethra). In men, they are practically unnoticeable, which greatly complicates the timely diagnostics and treatment of chlamydial urethritis, and in women they are quite intense;
• Trichomonas urethritis in women can be manifested by itching and burning in the urethra or can be latent (about 30% of cases). In men, Trichomonas urethritis is manifested by scanty white discharge from urethra and the presence of blood in the semen;
• herpetic urethritis can manifest itself in the form of fever, headache, general weakness, appearance of light yellow discharge from the urethra. In men, multiple itchy vesicles appear on the penis glans, which open and dry out, forming a crust;
• fungal urethritis in women and men manifests itself in the same way: pain, itching and burning sensation when urinating, the appearance of whitish viscous or cheesy discharge from the urethra mixed with blood.

If you find symptoms of urethritis in yourself, you should immediately contact urologist. The doctor will diagnose and select the appropriate therapy regimen. Self-treatment of urethritis with folk remedies will only lead to aggravation of the problem and the development of complications.

Diagnostics and treatment of urethritis with cystoscopy

Effective treatment of urethritis begins with a consultation by urologist. The doctor listens to the patient's complaints, examines medical history, and then refers him/her for additional examinations. In case of with urethritis, urine test is necessary to detect blood, bacteria or increased concentration of leukocytes in it - the main markers of disease. A blood test can be used to judge the presence of inflammatory process in the body. The list of other tests for urethritis includes bacteriological culture of urine and a smear from urethra, as well as PCR analysis. To diagnose candidal urethritis in women, a swab from vagina is taken.

Treatment for urethritis includes antibiotic therapy, taking painkillers if necessary, and sexual abstinence until complete recovery. Antibiotics for urethritis are taken by the course and are prescribed after determining the causative agent of the disease and its sensitivity to antibacterial drugs.

A diet for urethritis is prescribed for treatment of the acute stage of disease and relapse prevention. It provides for the rejection of spicy, sour, salty foods, spices, as well as the use of at least 2 liters of pure water per day.

Informative diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for urethritis is cystourethroscopy. It provides for visual examination of urethra and bladder using a cystoscope - a special thin and flexible probe equipped with a mini-video camera and backlight, the image from which is transmitted to the monitor. It is inserted into the bladder through urethra. Cystourethroscopy is used to treat cystitis and urethritis in women and men, as it allows injecting a drug directly into the urinary tract, which significantly speeds up the healing process.

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia or intravenous sedation. The patient should not eat or drink two hours before the cystourethroscopy. After the procedure, the patient can return to his/her usual life. You can make appointment for surgical treatment of urethritis in Kharkiv at the medical center “ON Clinic Kharkiv”. Call the indicated phone number or leave a request on the website.