Hi Bill- here is an update for you on my situation. I wrote this for a few guys with similar issues so I am pasting it here too. Wondered your thoughts
I saw Dr. Joel Gelman today.
Reminder: I’ve had the suprapubic catheter since October 15th to let my urethra “rest” in so Dr. Gelman could perform another urethrogram and assess my stricture. I had self cathed every day for about 15 years (only inserting a catheter about 1/5 inches into my urethra to keep it open).
Anyway- he removed my suprapubic tube and placed a flexible scope through the opening into my bladder and went into my urethra to see how it looked. I can tell you that was quite uncomfortable but only lasted for about minute.
He then put the dye into my penis and that was also pretty uncomfortable but took another x-ray and the stricture really hadn’t changed since her performed a urethrogram on October 14th. It’s about 1 cm at most and is toward the upper part of my penis – not far from my opening which is just under the glans in my case.
So he proposed a 2 stage procedure (with the 1st stage starting tomorrow) – or – he said he could go down below the narrowing and create a new opening there- which would be about half way down my shaft- and it would be outpatient tomorrow- and I’d urinate from that new opening. He says my urethra in that area is plenty wide enough for me to not have any issues in that area.
That is about the same area as my original opening when I was born (half way down my shaft)- that was patched with several surgeries as a kid- and 1 as a teen because a fistula kept opening there when they move my opening to just under my glans.
of course I had a lot of questions because my wife and I flew across the United States yesterday from South Carolina anticipating the 1st stage of a 2 stage procedure. So we asked our questions about any issues with sex (no)- any issues with doctors accessing my bladder from the new opening in the future if I needed any medical treatment for bladder issues or prostate issues, etc- (he said no- would be no problem).
I asked if he did this would I have any issues with it narrowing or closing up in the future- he said I should have no issues with it. He also mentioned this would not prevent me from deciding to go ahead with the 2 stage procedure in the future if I wanted.
He said the only issue is that this will obviously cause me to have some spraying when I urinate and would be harder to stand up but he said I might be able to make it work since the opening would still be on my penis after I practiced with it and got use to it. I told him I’ve been sitting 95% of the time for 30 years anyway so this was not a big deal to me compared to being able to void comfortably. Plus, I’ve always sprayed some anyway so some more wouldn’t be a problem.
He said he wouldn’t recommend this as a good option if I was 22 and single or deeply concerned about how my penis looks. But since I am 52 and I don’t really have any real concerns about how my penis would look, that this might be the easiest and best option. He said the procedure would last an hour or maybe less.
So I talked it over with my wife and we decided on this option instead of the 1st of the 2 stage procedure. So this will happen Saturday morning.
He said I could leave later in the day and I could fly home in a few days if I wanted. Much cheaper, and no reason to return for a 2nd stage procedure.
So- I hope I am making the right decision but this sounds like the right choice for me. I don’t mind my opening not being near the tip since I’ve never had an opening at the tip anyway. This will be just lower on my shaft (which isn’t that long anyway- ha).
So- anyway- He called it an Extended Meatotomy. I know it’s not the typical meatotomy – but the same general idea applies. I hope I am making the right decision. I was dreading the 2 stage procedure and all that was involved in that.