Dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty in female urethral stricture disease: a single-center experience

Introduction and hypothesis

The aim of this report is to present our initial, short-term experience with dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty (DBMGU) in women with urethral stricture.

Methods

Between May 2011 and April 2013, eight women with moderate to severe bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms due to mid- or distal urethral stricture underwent DBMGU. All women were evaluated preoperatively with the American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score, uroflowmetry with post-void residual volume (PVR) estimation, urodynamic study, calibration with 14 F catheter, and voiding cystourethrography. Postoperatively, the women were followed at regular intervals with AUA symptom score, uroflowmetry, and PVR estimation. Increase in AUA symptom score, maximum flow rate (Q_max)?<?12 ml/s, and failure to calibrate with 18 F catheter were considered as recurrence of the disease.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 40.6 years. The mean follow-up period was 14.8 months. All women voided successfully after catheter removal. One patient was lost to follow-up after 3 months. There was significant improvement in AUA symptom score and Q_max and reduction in PVR (p?<?0.0001) at 3, 6, and 9 months. Two women had recurrence of stricture at 12 months, while another had recurrence at 18 months which was treated by urethral dilatation followed by a self-dilatation protocol. The limitations of the study include the small number of cases with short follow-up.

Conclusions

DBMGU is a simple and safe method of urethroplasty in women with unsatisfactory results. Large size studies with long-term follow-up are desirable to document the success rates.