Objective To evaluate the efficacy of repeated internal urethrotomy as the treatment for male urethral stricture. Methods A total of 296 patients with proved urethral stricture was treated with optical internal urethrotomy and the value of repeated internal urethrotomy has been analysed. Results Of the 296 patients internal urethrotomy has been successful in 261 (88.2%),217 patients with single operation,twice or three times with successful outcome in 32 and 12 patients respectively.35 patients (11.8%) failed with more than three times internal urethrotomy,of which 26 patients was then treated with stents and 9 required open surgery. Conclusions Internal urethrotomy is an efficacious treatment for male urethral stricture,but repeated operation is of limited value especially when the course of the disease is longer than 1 year.

Objective To explore the immune mechanism in the systemic lupus erythematosus MRL/lpr mice at different months of age, and to provide the basis for research of its pathogenesis. Methods 3-,4-,5- and 6-month old female MRL/lpr mice, and wild type C57 female mice were used in this study, 10 mice per each group. Their organ coefficients were determined. ELISA was performed to detect the serum levels of double stranded DNA(ds-DNA) antibody. The interleukins IL-2,IL-4,IL-17 and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in spleen tissue were detected. Flow cytometry was used to assess the content of spleen lymphocyte CD3 cells and CD4/CD8 cell ratio. Results Compared with the 3-month old wild-type C57 mice,the spleen coefficient,the blood concentration of ds-DNA antibody,IL-2 and TNF-α in the 3- to 6-month old MRL/lpr mice were significantly increased(P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the concentrations of interleukin IL-4(P> 0.05). The blood concentration of IL-17 in the 5- and 6-month old MRL/lpr mice was significantly lower(P < 0.05 or P < 0.01)than that in the 3-month old MRL/lpr mice. The rest indexes of MRL/lpr mice showed no obvious changes or significant difference in the mice at different ages. Compared with the 3-month old C57 mice,the spleen CD3 lymphocyte concentration in the MRL/lpr mice was significantly decreased(P< 0.01). With the increasing age, the CD3 lymphocyte concentration and D4 +/CD8 +cell ratio in the MRL/lpr mice were decreased, however, showing a non-significant difference(P ﹥0.05). Conclusions The data obtained in this study indicate that 3-month old lupus MRL/lpr mice have already immune injury,increasing with the increase of age of the mice.