The penis transposed to the perineum with penile-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty for the treatment of a long segment complex urethral strictures

BackgroundTo present our experience of transposing the penis to the perineum, with penile-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty, for the treatment of complex bulbo-membranous urethral strictures.MethodsBetween January 2002 and December 2018, 20 patients with long segment urethral strictures (mean 8.6 cm, range 7.5 to 11 cm) and scarred perineoscrotal skin underwent a procedure of transposition of the penis to the perineum and the penile urethra was anastomosed to the prostatic urethra. Before admission 20 patients had unsuccessful repairs (mean 4.5, range 2 to 12); five patients were associated urethrorectal fistula; 16 patients reported severe penile erectile dysfunction (PED) or no penile erectile at any time and four reported partial erections.ResultsThe mean follow-up period was 45.9 (range 12 to 131) months. Nineteen patients could void normally with a mean Qmax of 22.48 (range 15.6 to 31.4) mL/s. One patient developed postoperative urethral stenosis. After 1 to 10 years of the procedure, nine patients underwent the second procedure. Of the nine patients, four underwent straightening the penis and one-stage anterior urethral reconstruction using a penile circular fasciocutaneous skin flap, and five underwent straightening the penis and staged Johanson urethroplasty. Seven patients could void normally, one developed urethrocutaneous fistula and one developed urethral stenosis.ConclusionsTransposition of the penis to the perineum with pendulous-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty may be considered as a salvage option for patients with complex long segment posterior urethral strictures.     

Single Stage Reconstruction of Complex Anterior Urethral Strictures: Combined Tissue Transfer Techniques

Purpose

Reconstruction of most urethral strictures is possible with anastomotic, graft or skin flap procedures alone. We describe the combination of tissue transfer techniques to preserve the urethral plate and reconstruct long and complex urethral strictures in 1 stage.

Materials and Methods

We reviewed the results in 25 patients who underwent anterior urethroplasty requiring more than 1 tissue transfer technique to achieve urethral reconstruction in 1 stage.

Results

Outcome was excellent in 22 patients (88%). Seven patients with pan-urethral strictures (mean length 19 cm.) required a fasciocutaneous flap combined with a buccal mucosa, bladder epithelium or skin graft. A total of 13 patients with focally dense strictures underwent excision of the most severe portion of the stricture with dorsal reapproximation, thereby improving the quality of the urethral plate and allowing simultaneous flap or graft onlay reconstruction. Five patients with multiple separate strictures required a distal onlay fasciocutaneous flap with excision and end-to-end anastomosis of a separate, more proximal stricture.

Conclusions

A thorough knowledge of the vascular supply of the urethra allowed creative application of different tissue transfer techniques, enabling 1-stage reconstruction of complex urethral strictures. An excellent outcome was achieved by preserving or revising the urethral plate and avoiding the problems associated with hair-bearing flaps and 2-stage procedures.     

Current controversies in anterior urethral stricture repair: free-graft versus pedicled skin-flap reconstruction

Reconstruction of long anterior urethral strictures that cannot be excised and reanastomosed remains controversial. We critically reviewed the literature on free-graft and pedicled skin-flap urethroplasty to determine the optimal method of repair. Overall, free grafts were successful in 84.3% of cases and flaps, in 85.9%. Buccal mucosa grafts are the most successful method for reconstruction of bulbar urethral strictures. For strictures in the penile urethral or a compromised graft bed a distal penile skin flap is the most reliable and tested approach. Dorsal free-graft urethroplasty may be considered when penile skin deficiency prevents use of a flap. For the most complex strictures, in which a flap is not possible and the graft bed is of poor quality, a mesh graft in two stages may be the only option. Thus, for reconstruction of complex anterior urethral strictures, both free-graft and flap procedures remain indispensable.     

Experience with penile circular fasciocutaneous flap in the treatment of long anterior urethral strictures

Objective  

To evaluate our experience with penile circular fasciocutaneous flap urethroplasty for the repair of long penile and bulbar strictures.     

Buccal mucosal urethroplasty: a versatile technique for all urethral segments

OBJECTIVE: To present our experience with buccal mucosa urethroplasty for substitution of all segments of the anterior urethra, as the buccal mucosal graft (BMG) has emerged as the tissue of choice for single-stage reconstruction of bulbar urethral strictures, but its use for reconstructing meatal, pendulous and pan-urethral strictures has not been widely reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1998 and October 2003, 92 patients had a BMG substitution urethroplasty at our institution; 75 had a single-stage dorsal onlay BMG urethroplasty (bulbar 41, pendulous 16 and pan-urethral 18; six combined penile skin flap and BMG) and 17 (pendulous five, pan-urethral 10, bulbar two) a two-stage urethroplasty. Recurrence rates, complications and cosmetic outcomes were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: Over a median (range) follow-up of 34 (8-72) months, 66 (88%) patients with a one-stage reconstruction (14/16 pendulous; 37/41, 90%, bulbar; 15/16 pan-urethral) remained stricture-free. The mean (range) time to recurrence was 9.4 (3-17) months. Of the nine recurrent strictures, six were managed by one-stage optical urethrotomy and three required a repeat urethroplasty. In patients who had a staged procedure, after a mean follow-up of 24.2 (9-56) months, one had complete graft loss, requiring re-grafting, five required stomal revision after stage 1, and only two (12%) developed a recurrent stricture after the two-stage urethroplasty. CONCLUSION: A one-stage dorsal onlay BMG urethroplasty provides excellent results for strictures involving any segment of the anterior urethra. The BMG appears to be the most versatile urethral substitute, as it can be successfully used for both one- and two-stage reconstruction of the entire anterior urethra.     

PENILE CIRCULAR FASCIOCUTANEOUS SKIN FLAP IN 1-STAGE RECONSTRUCTION OF COMPLEX ANTERIOR URETHRAL STRICTURES

Purpose

We review the applications and outcomes of penile circular fasciocutaneous flap urethroplasty in 66 patients at our institution.

Materials and Methods

We used a circular distal penile skin flap for urethral reconstruction in 66 men with complex urethral strictures. Average stricture length in this series was 9.08 cm. and mean followup was 41 months (range 1 to 7 years).

Results

The initial overall success rate was 79% (52 of 66 cases). Recurrent stenosis was noted in 7 of the 54 onlay (13%) and 7 of the 12 tubularized repairs (58%). Most recurrent strictures were successfully treated with a single subsequent procedure, including repeat urethroplasty in 5 cases and optical urethrotomy or dilation in 6. Two patients required perineal urethrostomy and 1 awaits further reconstruction. Including subsequent procedures, the overall long-term followup success rate was 95%. Neurovascular lower extremity complications developed in 4 patients after prolonged high lithotomy positioning.

Conclusions

Circular fasciocutaneous flap urethroplasty is a highly effective 1-stage method of reconstructing complex urethral strictures. Onlay repairs appear to be more successful than those involving flap tubularization. Limiting the time that the patient spends in the high lithotomy position appears to prevent neurovascular extremity complications.     

Anterior urethroplasty--changing concepts.

The management of complex anterior urethral strictures, not amendable to dilatation or internal urethromotomy, is difficult. Our experience of treating long strictures of anterior urethra with one-stage urethroplasty in 16 cases and two-stage Johanson's in 12 cases are reviewed here. The strictures had varied etiology and many were associated with fistula, diverticulum, etc. Three cases had concomitant posterior urethral strictures and were managed by one-stage anterior and posterior urethroplasty simultaneously. The one-stage repair was done using vascularized flap of longitudinal ventral penile skin in most cases. Transverse scrotal flap and Duckket's transverse preputial flap were utilized in 2 cases each. In one-stage repair success was 100% and in two-stage repair it was 75%. Our preference is now for one-stage repair irrespective of length and number of strictures.     

Dorsal or ventral placement of the preputial/penile skin onlay flap for anterior urethral strictures:does it make a difference?

OBJECTIVE: To report our experience in managing complex anterior urethral strictures with a dorsally/dorsolaterally placed penile/preputial vascularized flap, and to discuss the advantages of this procedure over a traditional ventrally placed flap. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1995 and 1999, 40 patients (mean age 40.5 years) with recurrent strictures of the pendulous and/or bulbar urethra were treated with longitudinal penile/circumpenile flap substitution urethroplasty. Nineteen patients underwent dorsal placement of the flap as an onlay (DO), whereas 21 patients had a ventral onlay (VO). Five patients needed inferior pubectomy to facilitate high proximal placement of the flap. RESULTS: Both groups had statistically similar ages, number of previous interventions, stricture site, length and follow-up. After a median follow-up of 27.5 months, the stricture recurred in three (24%) of the VO and two (11%) of the DO groups (P > 0.05). One patient in the VO group required surgical closure of the urethral fistula. Flap pseudo-diverticulum and/or sacculation with postvoid dribble occurred in six patients in the VO and none in the DO group (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Dorsal placement of the pedicled flap is anatomically and functionally more appropriate than the traditional VO placement. DO preputial/penile flap urethroplasty is a versatile procedure and can be applied even for long anterior urethral strictures, including reconstruction of the meatus and high proximal bulbar strictures.     

Review of microsurgical posterior urethral reconstruction

Posterior urethra reconstruction can be a challenging proposition for both patient and surgeon. The vast majority of urethras can be successfully reconstructed with either anastomosis or grafting. However, there are some patients who have recurrent urethral strictures that require more complex reconstruction. There is some speculation that microsurgical penile revascularization may allow subsequent graft reconstruction with lower stricture rates, but this is not yet proven. For the most tenacious urethral strictures, free tissue transfer may be required. The free radial forearm flap is well suited for urethral reconstruction, and the free anterolateral thigh flap may also have a role for these patients. This article will review urethral trauma and strictures and microsurgery's role in reconstruction of the posterior urethra.     

Changing practice in anterior urethroplasty

OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience of penile urethral repair and reconstruction, cataloguing the change in practice from one-stage flap to two-stage free graft procedures for anterior urethroplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1992 and December 1996, 79 patients underwent anterior urethroplasty. Of the 45 one-stage bulbar patch urethroplasties, 37 (76%) used buccal mucosal free grafts rather than flaps. Of the 34 penile urethroplasties, 26 (82%) (including all of the circumferential reconstructions) were two-stage procedures. RESULTS: Buccal mucosal free grafts were at least as good as local skin flaps for patch urethroplasty and two-stage repairs gave much better results than one-stage repairs for total circumferential reconstruction of the penile urethra. CONCLUSIONS: For a patch urethroplasty of an uncomplicated stricture in the bulbar urethra, buccal mucosal free grafts are now the material of choice. For a patch urethroplasty of an uncomplicated stricture in the penile urethra the Orandi procedure remains the 'gold standard'. For a circumferential repair of the urethra, particularly the penile urethra, a two-stage repair using a free graft gives better results than a one-stage repair using a flap.     

Urethral reconstruction using the radial forearm free flap: experience in oncologic cases and gender reassignment

OBJECTIVES: Urethra reconstruction in men remains a complex problem, particularly in patients who have had previous amputation for penile tumour or who have undergone gender reassignment. Many reconstructive techniques currently in use recreate the urethra but are prone to recurrent stricture formation and fail to achieve micturition with a good stream when standing. The authors propose using the radial forearm fasciocutaneous free flap as a single-stage technique of male urethral reconstruction. METHODS: During 1999-2004, nine patients underwent microsurgical reconstruction of the male urethra using the radial forearm fasciocutaneous free flap. Three patients underwent urethral reconstruction following previous subcutaneous penectomy for penile cancer. Another six patients had urethral reconstruction performed after failure of primary urethra construction as part of their gender reassignment surgery. RESULTS: The average age at the time of surgery was 35.1 yr (range: 22-55 yr) and average follow-up time was 41.8 mo (range: 13-55 mo). Flap reconstruction was successful in all cases, with no instances of free flap failure; however, two patients developed significant stenosis requiring revision, and no patients had postoperative fistula formation. Therefore, the success rate for urethral reconstruction after the first operation was seven of nine. Two patients with stenosis were treated operatively to release strictures with local flaps. Uroflowmetry demonstrated that these patients had satisfactory flow rates. CONCLUSION: Patient satisfaction and objective studies have demonstrated that urethral reconstruction with the use of radial forearm free flap is a good reconstructive procedure particularly when the patients need an extensive and long urethral reconstruction.     

Stenosis of the urethra in children. Long-term results of surgical treatment

Thirty-six urethral strictures were treated between 1977 and 1984. Three strictures were considered to be congenital, eleven were traumatic and twenty-two were iatrogenic. The authors performed twenty five internal urethrotomies, twelve resection-sutures of the urethra and eleven urethroplasties including eight patch grafts with a pedicle derived from scrotal or penile skin, a tubed pedicle scrotal skin flap, one Jurascek urethroplasty and one Leveuf urethroplasty. Internal urethrotomy only gave 50% good results and is now reserved for short strictures less than one centimetre. Of resection-suture is an excellent operation which should be reserved for strictures less than two centimetres: it gave 84% of good results. One of the various types of pedicle cutaneous urethroplasty is certainly the best operation to treat long strictures: it gave more than 90% of good results in the present series.     

Die bulbäre Harnröhrenstriktur

Urethral strictures are often located in the bulbar urethra, and bulbar strictures are commonly due to urethral trauma. Diagnosis is confirmed by radiographic imaging of the urethra. In cases of short primary bulbar strictures, a simple internal urethrotomy may be curative. In contrast, open surgery should be performed in long segment or recurrent strictures because recurrence rates are near 100% in these cases. Depending of the actual findings and comorbidities, end-to-end anastomosis, graft urethroplasty, flap urethroplasty, or perineal urethrostomy may be used. If definitive treatment using open surgery is delayed and multiple endoscopic treatments are tried, urethroplasty becomes more complex and success rates of definitive treatment decline.     

Management of fossa navicularis strictures

The correction of strictures involving the fossa navicularis poses a distinct reconstructive challenge. Unlike surgical repair of strictures involving other urethral segments where the primary concern is restoration of urethral patency, management of fossa navicularis strictures also requires particular attention to cosmesis. Paramount to the success of any of the described procedures is the careful selection of nondiseased tissue for substitution. If the penile skin is healthy, the preferred urethral substitute is the fasciocutaneous ventral transverse island flap. The inherent characteristics of this versatile flap (i.e., well-vascularized predictable pedicle, nonhair bearing, negligible contraction) provide for an excellent time-tested glandular urethral substitute. In rare cases in which there is a suggestion of penile skin inflammation or scarring, extragenital tissue transfer techniques should be considered. Equally important is the need to substitute the entire length of diseased urethra, preferably as an onlay, preserving the dorsal urethral wall. Persistent proximal urethral disease will eventually result in further stricture formation. Finally, the choice of glanduloplasty is particularly important in achieving a cosmetically appealing outcome. A glans-cap repair is preferred because of the limited dissection required with this relatively simple and bloodless technique. Careful selection of the most appropriate combined urethral substitution and glans reconstruction techniques, as well as meticulous attention to surgical details, are mandatory for achieving a satisfactory functional and cosmetic outcome with fossa navicularis strictures.     

Urethroplasty for urethral strictures: Quality assessment of an in‐home algorithm

Objectives: To evaluate the outcome of different techniques of urethroplasty and to assess the quality of an in‐home algorithm. Methods: Two hundred fifty‐two male patients underwent urethroplasty. Mean patient's age was 48 years (range 1–85 years). Data were analyzed for the failure rate of the different techniques of urethroplasty. An additional analysis was done based on an in‐home algorithm. Results: Median follow up was 37 months (range: 6–92 months). Global failure rate was 14.9%, with an individual failure rate of 11.7%, 16.0%, 20.7% and 20.8% for anastomotic repair, free graft urethroplasty, pedicled flap urethroplasty and combined urethroplasty, respectively. In free graft urethroplasty, results were significantly worse when extrapreputial skin was used. Anastomotic repair was the principle technique for short strictures (83.3%), at the bulbar and posterior urethra (respectively 50.8 and 100%). Free graft urethroplasty was mainly used for 3–10 cm strictures (58.6%). Anastomotic repair and free graft urethroplasty were more used in case of no previous interventions or after urethrotomy/dilation. Pedicled flap urethroplasty was the main technique at the penile urethra (40.7%). Combined urethroplasty was necessary in 41 and 47.1% in the treatment of, respectively, >10 cm or panurethral/multifocal anterior urethral strictures and was the most important technique in these circumstances. Two‐stage urethroplasty or perineostomy were only used in 2% as first‐line treatment but were already used in 14.9% after failed urethroplasty. Conclusion: Urethroplasty has good results at intermediate follow up. Different types of techniques must be used for different types of strictures.     

A method for the surgical treatment of extended strictures of the anterior urethra

The original one-staged technique was reported a success in two patients with long (8 and 10 cm) strictures of anterior urethra. In line with the dissection of stenosed parts and the following ureteroureteral anastomosis, a circular reduplication of tunica albuginea penis was made and invaginated in presence of intact spongy bodies. The given technique of urethroplasty (in patients with urethral stenosis from 3 to 10 cm) prevented penile distortion and anastomosis tension, and therefore the relapse of strictures and obliteration of urethra, as well as urinary fistula development. The advantages of the method are a 2-3-fold decrease in the treatment duration and the preservation of the copulative function despite the shortening of the penile body.     

Long-term followup of the ventrally placed buccal mucosa onlay graft in bulbar urethral reconstruction

PURPOSE: We investigate whether the short-term success rate (greater than 90%) of buccal mucosa free grafts in the bulbar urethra is sustained in the long term. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 60 patients a ventrally placed buccal mucosa graft was used for repair of bulbar urethral strictures. Of these patients 49 had undergone previous attempt at repair (urethroplasty in 4, internal urethrotomy in 45). Mean graft length was 4.8 cm. In 9 patients a distal penile fasciocutaneous flap was also used for repair of concomitant penile urethral stricture. In 8 of the 9 patients the buccal mucosa graft was combined with end-to-end urethroplasty and 2 buccal mucosa grafts were used in tandem in 1. Followup was at least 1 year in all cases (mean 47 months, range 12 to 107). Failure was defined as an obstructive voiding pattern with radiographic or cystoscopic evidence of recurrent stricture. RESULTS: Bulbar stricture repair was successful in 54 patients (90%) and 4 of the remaining 6 responded to 1 internal urethrotomy for a long-term success rate of 97%. Preoperative clinical characteristics were not significantly different between those who experienced success or failure. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term outcome analysis of ventrally placed buccal mucosa onlay grafts for bulbar urethral strictures demonstrates a durable success rate of 90%. This rate can be improved (97%) with the judicious use of internal urethrotomy.     

Combined Dorsal and Ventral Buccal Mucosal Graft Urethroplasty by Unilateral Mobilisation of Urethra with Single Dorsal Urethrotomy Incision in Long Segment Anterior Urethral Strictures

The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of combined dorsal and ventral buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty by unilateral mobilisation of urethra with single dorsal urethrotomy incision in long and narrow anterior urethral strictures with preserving the narrow urethral plate and blood supply. Between June 2012 and July 2016, 26 men with long anterior urethral strictures underwent urethroplasty by our technique in a tertiary care teaching hospital. The urethra was mobilised only one side. Then, it was opened in the dorsal midline over the stricture. The first graft was secured on the tunica of the corporal bodies. Thereafter, the diseased mucosa on the ventral side of the urethra was excised and the second graft was placed as ventral inlay and fixed to the corpus spongiosum. The cut edges of urethra were closed by suturing to dorsally placed graft. Successful urethral reconstruction was defined as normal voiding without the need for any postoperative procedure. Mean follow-up was 36 months and mean stricture length was 4.29 cm. Of these 26 cases, 23 (88.4%) were successful and 3 (11.53%) were treatment failures with restricture. The combined dorsal plus ventral buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty by unilateral mobilisation of urethra with single dorsal urethrotomy incision provides adequate urethral augmentation by preserving urethral vascularity and the narrow strip of urethral plate in long and tight anterior urethral strictures.     

Urethroplasty in female-to-male transsexuals

OBJECTIVE: Female-to-male transformation includes total phallic reconstruction. Construction of a neourethra is necessary to achieve the goal of voiding while standing; however urethral fistula and stricture formation occur in a significant percentage of patients. METHODS: 25 patients with primary female transsexualism underwent phalloplasty with a free radial forearm flap, vaginectomy and urethroplasty in a one-stage procedure. In 16 of these patients the fixed part of the neourethra ("bulbar urethra") was constructed from a vaginal flap. In 9 patients flaps of the labia minora (5 patients) or the "urethral plate" (4 patients) were used. RESULTS: In 14 (58%) patients fistulas and/or strictures in the newly constructed urethra occurred. 11 (69%) of 16 patients in whom the "bulbar urethra" was constructed from a vaginal flap experienced fistulas and/or stricture formation. Fistulas and/or strictures occurred in 3 of 5 patients with labia minora flaps and none of 4 patients with the urethral plate procedure. Repair of fistula and strictures was performed by primary closure of fistulas, staged urethroplasty with local pedicle flaps or distant tissue grafts using buccal mucosa (2-6 procedures). CONCLUSION: One-stage total phalloplasty and urethroplasty is associated with a significant rate of fistulas and strictures. However, these complications can be corrected by the techniques used in modern urethral surgery.