be taken before surgery to reduce the discomfort of recovery. It is suggested to wear loose fitting undergarments after the procedure as there is a chance of having a catheter after the procedure. Men's cotton boxers work well for both comfort and containing any bleeding that may occur. (Note: bleeding after a urethrotomy is expected and can last up to 48 hours.) Purchasing cheap black or dark grey undergarments can help with post-surgery anxiety as light-colored undergarments can make the bleeding appear worse than it actually is and the undergarments can be thrown out after use. Additionally, applying water-based lubricant to the catheter and allowing it to run down and coat the opening of the urethra will prevent the catheter from rubbing and irritating the urethral opening. Lastly, preparing lean meals before surgery such as grilled chicken or salad is a good idea to ease recovery for the 48 hours after surgery. Post surgical evaluation and care The surgeon will remove the catheter three to seven days after the surgery is completed. A baseline uroflowmetric study will be performed, and the patient will be instructed to return in thirty days for a follow-up evaluation. This evaluation will include another uroflowmetric study and a complete urinalysis. Follow-up visits are scheduled at six-month intervals, as determined by the practitioner responsible for the treatment plan. It has become common practice for urologists to prescribe self-catheterization at weekly intervals for the post-urethrotomy patient. After voiding, and using sterile technique, a lubricated Foley catheter is passed into the urethra, through the surgically modified area, into the bladder and allowed to remain in place for up to ten minutes. The catheter is then carefully withdrawn and discarded, and the patient is then instructed to void as soon as possible (this helps to cleanse the urethra of any blood or water-based lubricant and lessen the possibility of infection). Although no formal studies have been conducted, there does appear to be an improvement in intervals between subsequent urethrotomies and an improvement in uroflowmetric data for most patients who have undergone this regimen. Controversy Many leading urologists in the United States consider urethrotomy to be (almost) totally ineffective at providing long-term resolution of urethral stricture disease, and advocate excision of the damaged area followed by either a surgical anastomosis of the (now) patent urethral ends, or a grafting of similar tissue harvested from elsewhere on the patients body. The