Sexual function after anterior urethroplasty: a systematic review

Engineered Tissues: A Bright Perspective in Urethral Obstruction Regeneration

Impact Statement The current article examines urethral reconstruction on three fronts: presently available grafts, clinical trials, and preclinical studies. In this context, studies have focused on various types of biomaterial grafts, including natural, synthetic, and decellularized, combined with or without cells or growth factors, aiming to improve outcomes at both clinical and pre-clinical stages. Subsequently, four stages in the commercialization regulatory pathway in urethra engineering were examined, focusing on the commercialization challenges, particularly those associated with urethral products. Finally, the forthcoming challenges in urethra engineering and potential solutions for its enhancement have been explored. [Figure: see text].

Divergent Gender Identity in a Phenotypic Male with 46XX Karyotype Caused by a Mutation in CYP21A2 Gene with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

A male patient in his late twenties presented with ambiguous genitalia to our tertiary specialist unit with complaints of short stature and inadequate copulation. There was no history of consanguinity, and a physical examination raised concerns about possible disorders of sexual development (DSD). Karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization results were consistent with the presence of two X chromosomes, revealing the patient to be a genotypic female. Sanger sequencing showed a heterozygous pathogenic mutation in the CYP21A2 gene known to be associated with 21-hydroxylase deficiency, thus confirming the diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), Prader stage V. DSD with CAH is distressing for the patient and their families, and the management needs a multidimensional approach involving diverse medical, genetic, and psychological considerations. Cytogenetic and molecular genetic studies play an essential role in diagnosis and decision-making and should be made affordable in developing countries for better patient care.

Low risk of erectile dysfunction after nontransecting bulbar urethroplasty for urethral stricture: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Sexual function after urethroplasty may be a concern for patients, but there are still some controversies regarding the consequences of nontransecting bulbar urethroplasty (ntBU) in terms of erectile dysfunction (ED).

AIM

This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of ntBU with that of transecting bulbar urethroplasty (tBU).

METHODS

The PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched and reviewed up to October 31, 2022. Quality evaluation was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale system and Cochrane tools for the nonrandomized and randomized studies, respectively. Baseline characteristics, preoperative information, and postoperative outcomes were collected.

OUTCOMES

Outcomes included success rate, ED, overall complication, and maximum urinary flow.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies comprising 1683 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 596 and 1087 patients undergoing ntBU and tBU, respectively. The results revealed that compared with the tBU group, the patients who underwent ntBU had a significantly lower incidence of ED, while there were no significant differences in the other perioperative outcomes. In subgroup analysis, the nontransecting anastomotic urethroplasty group had a lower incidence of ED than excision and primary anastomosis, and other perioperative outcomes were similar between the 2 groups.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The results of the study may help clinicians choose procedures that protect sexual function in the treatment of urethral stricture.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

The strength of this study is that it is, to our knowledge, the first meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ntBU. A limitation is that most of the included studies were retrospective cohort studies.

CONCLUSION

ntBU preserves the high efficacy of its transecting counterpart while reducing postoperative ED.

Female urethroplasty with dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft: a single institution experience

PURPOSE

Female urethral stricture disease is frequently unrecognized or misdiagnosed, with controversy in the literature regarding the definition of strictures and approach to management. The purpose of this study is to report our institutional experience with female urethroplasty and add our experience to the growing body of research.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing female urethroplasty with dorsal onlay BMG at the University of Colorado between March 2015 and December 2021 performed by two surgeons (BF and JO). The primary outcome measure was surgical success, defined as no stricture recurrence. The secondary outcome measure was the incidence of de novo urinary incontinence.

RESULTS

23 patients were included in our data analysis. The median duration of lower urinary tract symptoms prior to urethroplasty was 16 years. 87% had undergone previous dilations. At a median follow-up of 12.2 months (range 1-81 months), four patients required a secondary procedure for obstruction with an overall success rate of 83%. One patient developed de novo stress urinary incontinence and one patient developed urge urinary incontinence. Subgroup analysis was performed comparing the patients that developed stricture recurrence (N = 4) to those that did not (N = 19). Those with stricture recurrence had a longer duration of symptoms and more dilations prior to urethroplasty.

CONCLUSION

Female urethroplasty with BMG is effective at treating female urethral stricture disease, with excellent outcomes at over a year of follow-up and minimal risk of stress incontinence postoperatively.

Current perspectives in hypospadias research: A scoping review of articles published in 2021 (Review)

Hundreds of papers are written about hypospadias every year referring to all aspects of the pathology, being one of the most common congenital malformations. The present study conducted a scoping review of articles published in 2021 to present the main issues and summarize current perspectives and achievements in the field. It searched for the keyword 'hypospadias' in the three most popular databases (PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science). After the analysis of the publications, they were categorized into different domains. The present review was performed respecting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA ScR) guidelines. A total of 284 articles were included. These were published in 142 different journals. The most accessed was the Journal of Paediatric Urology with 54 articles. The main identified domains were related to surgical techniques, postoperative care, complications, anesthesia, anatomical factors, genetics, environmental factors, endocrinology, associated malformations, questionnaires and recommendations, management, biological materials, animal models, retrospective studies of centers, social media, bibliometrics, small gestational age, neoplasm, or fertility. Promising modifications of existing surgical techniques were presented with improved outcomes for both the proximal and distal types of hypospadias. Relevant anatomical and etiological, and also genetic factors were clarified. Aspects of the peri- and postoperative management referring to the antibiotherapy, analgesia, dressing techniques, and the future use of novel bioengineering agents to prevent, reduce or treat the occurring complications were discussed.

A TriNetX Registry Analysis of the Need for Second Procedures following Index Anterior and Posterior Urethroplasty

BACKGROUND

We queried a global database to understand re-intervention rates following urethroplasty with the goal of evaluating whether they align with previously published data.

METHODS

Using the TriNetX database and Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD) codes, we identified adult male patients with urethral stricture disease (ICD N35) who underwent one-stage anterior (CPT 53410) or posterior urethroplasty (CPT 53415), with or without (substitution urethroplasty) a tissue flap (CPT 15740) or buccal graft (CPT 15240 or 15241). We set urethroplasty as the index event and used descriptive statistics to report the incidence of secondary procedures (using CPT codes) within 10 years after the index event.

RESULTS

There were 6606 patients who underwent urethroplasty within the last 20 years, with 14.3% of patients undergoing a second procedure after index event. Upon subgroup analysis, reintervention rates were 14.5% for anterior urethroplasty vs. 12.4% of patients with an anterior substitution urethroplasty (RR 1.7, p = 0.09) and 13.3% for posterior urethroplasty vs. 8.2% for patients with a posterior substitution urethroplasty (RR 1.6, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients will not need any form of re-intervention following urethroplasty. These data align with previously described recurrence rates, which may help urologists counsel patients considering urethroplasty.

Non-Transecting Urethroplasty for Bulbar Urethral Strictures-Narrative Review and Treatment Algorithm

The bulbar urethra is the most common site of stricture disease for which urethroplasty remains standard of care. A decrease in trauma as an etiology in the developed world and concerns regarding sexual dysfunction related to transection of the corpus spongiosum have placed a renewed emphasis on non-transecting urethroplasty techniques. Here, we present our surgical algorithm with emphasis on non-transecting techniques for bulbar urethral stricture disease and review the current state of literature comparing transecting to non-transecting approaches in order to provide guidance to practitioners on patient selection, counseling, and technique.

Recent Trends and Advances in Anterior Urethroplasty

While patient preference often helps guide treatment decisions, poor long-term success combined with cumulative risk of repeat endoscopic treatments and the complications innately associated with urethral stricture emphasize that urethroplasty is most often the best choice for successful treatment in the long-term. This has led to the need to better refine urethroplasty techniques and optimize patient outcomes. Urethroplasty has now largely transitioned to a day-surgery procedure in the majority of centers. Some evidence suggests that avoiding urethral transection and/or avoiding overzealous urethral mobilization may lead to a reduction in post-operative sexual dysfunction. The trend toward single stage penile urethroplasty with buccal mucosal grafts likely minimizes patient morbidity without compromising urethroplasty success. For urethroplasty success to further improve particularly in patients at high risk for stricture recurrence, the synergistic potential of combining wound healing enhancing agents with evolving tissue-engineering represents an exciting future opportunity in the quest to perfect urethroplasty outcomes.

To Transect or Not Transect: Results from the Scandinavian Urethroplasty Study, A Multicentre Randomised Study of Bulbar Urethroplasty Comparing Excision and Primary Anastomosis Versus Buccal Mucosal Grafting

BACKGROUND

Open surgical treatment of short bulbar urethral strictures (urethroplasty) is commonly performed as transecting excision and primary anastomosis (tEPA) or buccal mucosa grafting (BMG). Erectile dysfunction and penile complications have been reported, but there is an absence of randomised trials.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate sexual dysfunction and penile complications after urethroplasty with tEPA versus BMG.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Centres in Finland, Sweden and Norway participated. Patients with a bulbar urethral stricture of ≤2 cm without previous urethroplasty were randomised. The primary endpoints were the degree of erectile dysfunction and penile complications. Follow-up was 12 mo.

INTERVENTION

Patients were randomised to either tEPA or BMG urethroplasty.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Sexual dysfunction was measured using the International Index of Erectile Function, 5-item version (IIEF-5) and a penile complications questionnaire (PCQ) designed for this study. Continuous data were analysed using analysis of covariance and categorical data were compared using a χ² test.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

A total of 151 patients were randomised to either tEPA (n = 75) or BMG (n = 76). The tEPA group reported more penile complications (p = 0.02), especially reduced glans filling (p = 0.03) and a shortened penis (p = 0.001). There were no differences in postoperative IIEF-5 total scores. Recurrence rates were similar in both groups (12.9%) but the study was not designed to detect differences in recurrence rates. The PCQ is not validated, which is a limitation.

CONCLUSIONS

More patients reported penile complications after urethroplasty with tEPA than with BMG. This should be considered when choosing the operative method, and patients should be informed accordingly.

PATIENT SUMMARY

This study compared two common operations for repair of narrowing of the male urethra. Neither of the two methods seems to cause worsened erections. However, penile problems are more common after the transection technique than after the grafting technique.