Long-term Outcomes of Urethroplasty With Abdominal Wall Skin Grafts

Staged urethroplasty with groin full-thickness skin graft for managing complex anterior urethral strictures: surgical outcomes and predictive factors

PURPOSE

To describe outcomes of staged-urethroplasty in complex anterior urethral strictures using full-thickness-skin-graft (FTSG) harvested from the hairless groin area, and to identify factors influencing successful outcomes.

METHODS

Through retrospective chart review, we identified a total of 67 men who underwent the first-stage operation (grafting) using groin-FTSG for staged-urethroplasty to treat complex anterior urethral strictures unsuitable for one-stage urethroplasty. Among these, 59 underwent the second-stage operation (tubularization) at a median duration of 5.1-months after grafting. Patients were assessed for outcomes as scheduled after tubularization outcomes were analyzed only for 48 patients for whom ≥ 1-year follow-up data after tubularization were available. Their mean follow-up duration was 27.1 months. Success was defined as achieving physiologic voiding without requiring further procedures.

RESULTS

Median stricture-length was 5.5 cm in all 67 patients. After grafting, neourethral-opening-narrowing occurred in 18. Partial graft-loss occurred in 8, of whom only 3 underwent re-grafting. The percentage of patients who achieved successful outcomes was 81.3%. Improvements in maximum-urine-flow-rate and post-void-residual-urine-volume were maintained until the last follow-up visit. A urethrocutaneous-fistula occurred in one patient, while meatal-stenosis occurred in two. On multivariate-regression-analysis, the presence of neourethral-opening-narrowing was the only predictor of non-success after tubularization. Furthermore, the presence of hypertension, longer stricture-length, and a history of prior direct-vision-internal-urethrotomy were predictors of the occurrence of neourethral-opening-narrowing.

CONCLUSION

Staged-urethroplasty using groin-FTSG is well worth considering as a useful therapeutic option for complex anterior urethral strictures, with an acceptable success rate and low morbidity. The absence of neourethral-opening-narrowing after the first-stage operation leads to success.

Oral adverse outcomes associated with the buccal mucosa graft for urethroplasty

OBJECTIVE

The buccal mucosa graft (BMG) is the standard graft for reconstructive urology, but management of the donor site remains under debate. The authors compared postoperative oral adverse outcomes between management methods (closure, nonclosure, or xenograft-assisted closure).

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study was conducted, enrolling patients treated at Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. The patients had a history of urethroplasty using a unilateral BMG, and the primary outcome variables were postoperative oral adverse outcomes, defined as subjective changes in mouth opening, smile, chewing, speech, intraoral bleeding, paresthesia, trismus, and infection. Multivariate and regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The sample was composed of 137 patients (95% male; mean age, 48 years). The mean surface areas of the BMG for closure, nonclosure, and xenograft were 1059, 1178, and 1228 mm², respectively. Thirty-four patients completed the survey (7 closure, 17 nonclosure, and 10 xenograft). Multiple linear regression showed a significant difference between the 3 groups with respect to patient-reported chewing ability and trismus favoring xenograft at larger graft sizes (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Xenograft-assisted closure may reduce long-term oral adverse outcomes associated with trismus and subjective changes in chewing, mouth opening, speaking, and smiling with larger grafts. In addition, limited postoperative patient education for oral rehabilitation exercises was noted.

The Expanding Use of Buccal Mucosal Grafts in Urologic Surgery

The advent and success of buccal mucosal grafts as a substitution material in the urinary tract has changed the landscape of reconstructive urology. Due to its ease to harvest, low morbidity, and advantageous properties, there has been a growing number of applications for buccal mucosal grafts in upper and lower urinary tract reconstruction as well as genital reconstruction. In this article, we review the historical application and the evolution of buccal mucosal grafts and provide an up-to-date review on its utilization in urologic procedures.

Tubularized urethral reconstruction using everted saphenous vein graft in a beagle model

Background

A long segment stricture in the anterior urethra is a challenge in urology. We conducted a study to investigate the efficacy of anterior urethral reconstruction using an everted saphenous vein graft (SVG) in a tubular fashion.

Methods

Twelve male beagles were randomly divided into three groups: experimental group (n = 5), control group (n = 5) and normal group (n = 2). A 3 cm defect in the anterior urethra was created. Autologous SVG was harvested. In the experimental group, urethral defect was replaced by an everted SVG in a tubular fashion. In the control group, urethral reconstruction was performed using an uneverted SVG. Beagles in all groups received retrograde urethrography to evaluate urethral patency and were killed for histological examination 6 months after operation.

Results

Four beagles in the experimental group had no voiding difficulty and the other one could not void spontaneously. Retrograde urethrography showed the four beagles in experimental group had wide urethral lumens. Ether urethral stricture or fistula were detected in all animals in the control group. Histological analysis of the four beagles in the experimental group indicated the everted SVG completely integrated into the urethra. The reconstructed urethra contained a wide lumen and was completely covered by urothelium. The periurethral collagen and muscle fibers formed and were highly organized. Everted SVG showed a high ability of neovascularization. In the control group, the reconstructed segment showed a fibrotic urethral lumen where the urothelium was not intact. Only few new capillaries were formed.

Conclusions

Everted SVG demonstrates for a promising strategy for potential urethral stricture repair.

Combined Dorsal Plus Ventral Double Tunica Vaginalis Graft Urethroplasty: An Experimental Study in Rabbits

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of a combined dorsal plus ventral double tunica vaginalis graft for urethral reconstruction in a rabbit model through radiology and histopathology.

METHODS

Thirty adult male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 6 groups as follows (n = 5): normal, stricture, and experimental groups A, B, C, and D. In the stricture and experimental groups, the ventral urethra was incised longitudinally, and the dorsal and ventral urethral mucosa were partially removed. Then, 3 × 20 mm and 5 × 20 mm tunica vaginalis grafts were obtained to repair the dorsal and ventral urethral mucosa defects, respectively, and the spongiosum was closed in the experimental groups. The urethral defects were not repaired in the stricture group. The rabbits in experimental groups A, B, C, and D were sacrificed at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks postoperatively, respectively, and the rabbits in the stricture group were sacrificed at 4 weeks postoperatively. The urethra was harvested for histological analysis. Urethrography was performed before sacrifice in the stricture group and experimental groups B and D.

RESULTS

The retrograde urethrogram showed that all rabbits in experimental groups B and D had a patent urethra. Histological examination showed that the tunica vaginalis graft completely integrated into the urethra at 4 weeks postoperatively and transformed into a urinary pseudostratified epithelium at 12 weeks postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Combined dorsal plus ventral double tunica vaginalis graft urethroplasty is a feasible technique for urethral reconstruction in a rabbit model.

Refractory Urethral Stricture Management: Indications for Alternative Grafts and Flaps

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Urethral strictures that are refractory to initial management present unique challenges to the reconstructive surgeon. Treatment trends have shifted as new tissue resources are becoming available. There is renewed interest in old methods as skill and technique have improved. We describe the scope of the surgical armamentarium available to develop creative approaches and successful outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

We discuss techniques to maximize the availability of oral mucosa, harvest and use of rectal mucosa, and developments in tissue engineering. Evolving methods to assess success of repair are also described. Urethral reconstruction for refractory urethral strictures requires proficiency with multiple methods as these strictures often require combining techniques for successful treatment.

Use of a fibrovascular tube in creation of neo-urethra during penile reconstruction

INTRODUCTION

There are several techniques employed in the surgical treatment of total or partial penile reconstruction, hypospadias surgery, and urethral stricture. Urethral reconstruction is performed in different ways applying these techniques.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated use of a fibrovascular sheath to create a neo-urethra formed around a silicon tube.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We used nine male New Zealand rabbits for this study. In the first step, we placed a silicone tube under the skin in the lower abdomen of the rabbits and waited for the formation of a fibrovascular sheath to totally surround the tube. In the second step, the silicone tube was removed and the formed fibrovascular sheath was anastomosed with penile urethra over a silicone 8F Foley catheter. Ten days after the second step, the silicone Foley catheter was removed. Twenty days after the second step, we evaluated the newly created neo-urethra with a retrograde urethrogram. Thirty days after the second step, the rabbits were sacrificed and the bladder, urethra, and neo-urethra were removed for histopathological examination.

RESULTS

Six of the rabbits completed the study. After the first operation, in the third month, formation of the fibrovascular sheath was observed around the silicon tube. After anastomosis and removal of the silicon Foley catheter, urine was seen to pass through the neo-urethral meatus. Urethrocystography showed that the neo-urethra and penile urethra were aligned and urine flow was regular. Histopathological evaluation showed that the structural integrity of the newly formed urethra was comparable with the structure of the regular urethra (Table) and the calibration did not change over time, although the newly formed urethra was not covered with uroepithelium.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we achieved promising results with use of a newly formed fibrovascular sheath as a neo-urethra.

Graft Use in Bulbar Urethroplasty

The gold standard for bulbar urethroplasty has been excision and primary anastomosis. Application of this approach is generally limited to strictures that are 2 cm or less in the bulbar urethra due to penile shortening. Strictures greater than 2 cm are successfully treated with augmentation urethroplasty wherein the narrowed segment is not excised but widened with the use of a skin flap or a tissue graft. Buccal mucosa is the most prevalent tissue for bulbar urethral stricture repair for strictures greater than 2 cm. Outcomes for the different graft locations are similar, approximately 90%.

Diversity of patient profile, urethral stricture, and other disease manifestations in a cohort of adult men with lichen sclerosus

Purpose

Lichen sclerosus (LS) in men is poorly understood. Though uncommon, it is often severe and leads to repeated surgical interventions and deterioration in quality of life. We highlight variability in disease presentation, diagnosis, and patient factors in male LS patients evaluated at a tertiary care center.

Materials and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed charts of male patients presenting to our reconstructive urology clinic with clinical or pathologic diagnosis of LS between 2004 and 2014. Relevant clinical and demographic information was abstracted and descriptive statistics calculated. Subgroup comparisons were made based on body mass index (BMI), urethral stricture, and pathologic confirmation of disease.

Results

We identified 94 patients with clinical diagnosis of LS. Seventy percent (70%) of patients in this cohort had BMI >30 kg/m², and average age was 51.5 years. Lower BMI patients were more likely to suffer from urethral stricture disease compared to overweight counterparts (p=0.037). Patients presenting with stricture disease were more likely to be younger (p=0.003). Thirty percent (30%) of this cohort had a pathologic diagnosis of LS.

Conclusions

Urethral stricture is the most common presentation for men with LS. Many patients endure skin scarring and have numerous comorbidities. Patient profile is diverse, raising the concern that not all patients with clinical diagnosis of LS are suffering from identical disease processes. The rate of pathologic confirmation at a tertiary care institution is alarmingly low. Our findings support a role for increased focus on pathologic confirmation and further delineation of the subtype of disease based on location and clinical manifestations.

Risk Factors and Timing of Early Stricture Recurrence After Urethroplasty

OBJECTIVE

To compare recurrence after urethroplasty, identifying associated risk factors for early recurrence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Among 262 urethroplasties (2001-2010) with ≥6 months of follow-up, we identified 65 patients (24.8%) with recurrence (defined by obstruction in the area of repair on cystoscopy).

RESULTS

Median stricture length was 4.5 cm (range 1-24 cm). Median follow-up was 85.2 (6.7-160.1) months, with median time to recurrence of 8.0 (0.5-88.0) months. Substitution urethroplasty was the most frequent repair (70.8%), followed by excision and primary anastomosis (23.1%). When graft was used, buccal was most common (66.0%), followed by abdominal wall skin (AWS) (24.5%). Twenty-one percent of recurrences presented within 3 months, 40.0% by 6 months, 55.4% by 1 year, whereas 9.2% recurred more than 5 years later. Recurrences ≤6 months were significantly longer strictures (median 5.5 cm vs 4.0 cm, P = .009). Strictures ≤4 cm, ≤3 cm, and ≤2 cm recurred at a median of 10.6, 18.2, and 30.3 months, respectively (P = .08). Most lichen sclerosis (LS)-related recurrences occurred within 6 months (62%). Patients recurring within 6 months were older, had history of LS, or more likely had AWS. Forty percent suffered from multiple recurrences at a median of 12 months and were associated with longer stricture, prior instrumentation, substitution urethroplasty, AWS, and LS.

CONCLUSION

Half of recurrences following urethroplasty present within one year, with most declaring within 6 months. Early recurrence is associated with older age, LS, AWS and longer strictures. The duration and intensity of surveillance protocols following urethroplasty should be individualized in order to account for these characteristics.

Tissue transfer techniques in reconstructive urology

Tissue transfer techniques are an essential part of the reconstructive urologist's armamentarium. Flaps and graft techniques are widely used in genital and urethral reconstruction. A graft is tissue that is moved from a donor site to a recipient site without its native blood supply. The main types of grafts used in urology are full thickness grafts, split thickness skin grafts and buccal mucosa grafts. Flaps are transferred from the donor site to the recipient site on a pedicle containing its native blood supply. Flaps can be classified based on blood supply, elevation methods or the method of transfer. The most used flaps in urology include penile, preputial, and scrotal skin. We review the various techniques used in reconstructive urology and the outcomes of these techniques.