Nurse-led postoperative telemonitoring program following outpatient urethroplasty: a pilot study.

introductionUrethral stricture disease remains a challenging condition with significant morbidity and quality-of-life impairment. Urethroplasty represents the gold-standard treatment, yet postoperative follow-up is demanding, requiring multiple in-person visits at referral centers, often far from patients’ homes. To optimize postoperative care, we developed a structured nurse-led postoperative telemonitoring program (TMP) designed to replace in-person follow-up visits. This study aimed to describe the TMP development and to assess feasibility, safety, and patient acceptability. MATERIALS AND

methodsThe TMP replaced the standard postoperative visits on days 7, 14, and 21 with remote consultations conducted by a trained nurse practitioner (NP). The NP underwent a structured training phase during in-person consultations to align clinical evaluation with a senior surgeon’s assessments. During deployment, patients were assisted by local nurses who transmitted photographs of the surgical site to the NP, who performed synchronous teleconsultations. Feasibility, safety, and satisfaction were evaluated prospectively.

resultsSeventeen consecutive patients were included (median age: 43 years; median stricture length: 30 mm). Sixteen completed the program without unplanned consultation, yielding a feasibility rate of 94%. One patient developed a urinary tract infection managed with oral antibiotics. No major complications occurred. Patient satisfaction was excellent, with mean scores of 9.4/10 for global satisfaction and 9.7/10 for recommendation.

conclusionThis pilot study demonstrates that a structured nurse-led TMP following urethroplasty is feasible, safe, and highly acceptable. Such programs may improve postoperative care delivery while reducing patient travel and healthcare resource use, with promising implications for environmental sustainability and broader surgical applications.