On the art of anastomotic posterior urethroplasty: a 27-year experience

PURPOSE: We determined the various operative details of anastomotic posterior urethroplasty that are essential for a successful result. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 155 patients who had undergone anastomotic repair of posterior urethral strictures or distraction defects between 1977 and 2003. Patient age ranged from 3 to 58 years (mean 21) and all except 1 had sustained a pelvic fracture urethral injury as the initial causative trauma. Repair was performed with a perineal procedure in 113 patients, elaborated perineal in 2 and perineo-abdominal in 40. Followup ranged from 1 to 22 years. RESULTS: The results were successful in 104 (90%) cases after perineal (including 2 elaborated perineal) and in 39 (98%) after perineo-abdominal repair. Successful results were sustained for up to 22 years after surgery. Urinary incontinence did not develop in any patients while 2 lost potency as a direct result of anastomotic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Of the operative details 3 constitute the gold triad that assures a successful outcome, namely complete excision of scarred tissues, fixation of healthy mucosa of the 2 urethral ends and creation of a tension-free anastomosis. When the bulboprostatic urethral gap is 2.5 cm or less, restoration of urethral continuity may be accomplished with a perineal procedure after liberal mobilization of the bulbar urethra. For defects of 2.5 cm or greater the elaborated perineal or perineo-abdominal transpubic procedure should be used. In the presence of a competent bladder neck, anastomotic surgery does not result in urinary incontinence. Impotence is usually related to the original trauma and rarely (2%) to urethroplasty itself.