Aim: to investigate the quality of life in male patients after different types of urethral reconstruction because of the urethral stricture disease.

Materials and methods: we have analysed the data from 248 patients who were operated because of the urethral stricture using several types of techniques: 1) endoscopic urethrotomy in 73 patients (different parts of the urethra): once in 41 patients, twice in 20 patients, 3 and more times in 12 patients; 2) augmentation urethroplasty using buccal graft for anterior urethra in 42 patients; 3) anastomotic urethroplasty using Turner-Warwick method in modification of Webster for posterior urethra in 38 patients. Quality of life pre- and postoperatively was estimated using the international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and quality of life scale (QoL), International index of erectile function (IIEF) with erectile and orgasmic functions estimation.

Results: all 3 types of operations showed no significant effect on erectile and orgasmic function. Quality of life according to IPSS and QoL was best after augmentation buccal urethroplasty and anastomotic urethroplasty, rather than after endoscopic urethrotomy. This was linked to a more frequent recurrence after endoscopic treatment and, consequently, to the recurrence of symptoms.

Conclusion: to prevent the recurrence of the symptoms and deterioration of the quality of life, endoscopic treatment should be restricted to use in carefully selected patients.