Search

Background Female urethral injury is rare, and there is no accepted standard approach for the repair of urethral strictures. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of transpubic access using pedicle tubularized labial urethroplasty for urethral reconstruction in female patients with urethral obliterative strictures and urethrovaginal fistulas. Design, setting, and participants Between January 1996 and December 2006, eight cases of female urethral strictures associated with urethrovaginal fistulas were treated using pedicle labial skin flaps. Interventions A flap of approximately 3×3.5×3cm of the labia minora or majora with its vascular pedicle was tubularized over an 18–22 Fr fenestrated silicone stent to create a neourethra. This technique was used in five women. Two flaps, approximately 1.5–3.5cm, were taken from bilateral labia minora or majora and were pieced together to create a neourethra. This technique was used in three patients. Measurements We performed voiding cystourethrography and uroflowmetry to assess postoperative results. Results and limitations The patients were followed up for 10–118 mo (mean 48.25 mo) after the procedure. There were no postoperative complications. Two patients complained of dysuria, which resolved spontaneously after 2 wk. One patient experienced stress incontinence that resolved after 4 wk. At 3-mo follow-up, one patient complained of difficulty voiding; the urinary peak flow was 13ml/s, and the patient was treated successfully with urethral dilation. All other patients had normal micturition following catheter removal. Conclusions Pedicle labial urethroplasty is a reliable technique for the repair of extensive urethral damage, and a transpubic surgical approach provides wide and excellent exposure for the management of complex obliterative urethral strictures and urethrovaginal fistulas secondary to pelvic fracture.

Background Urethrorectal fistulas (URF) in patients with complex posterior urethral strictures are rare and difficult to repair surgically. There is no widely accepted standard approach described in the published literature. Objective The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of various operative approaches for the repair of URFs in patients with complex posterior urethral strictures. Design, setting, and participants From January 1985 to December 2007, 31 patients (age: 6–61 yr; mean: 28.4) with URFs secondary to posterior urethral strictures were treated using a perineal or combined abdominal transpubic–perineal approach. Interventions A simple perineal approach was used in 4 patients; a transperineal inferior pubectomy approach was used in 18 patients; and a combined transpubic–perineal approach was used in 9 patients. A bulbospongiosus muscle and subcutaneous dartos pedicle flaps were interposed between the repaired rectum and urethra in 22 patients. The combined transpubic–perineal approach used either a gracilis muscle flap (one patient) or a rectus muscle flap (eight patients). Measurements Suprapubic catheterisation was used for bladder drainage, and a urethral silicone stent was left indwelling for 4 wk. Results and limitations One-stage repair was successful in 4 patients (100%) using the perineal approach, in 16 of 18 patients (88.9%) using the transperineal–inferior pubectomy approach, and in 7 of 9 patients (77.8%) using the transpubic–perineal approach. Recurrent urethral strictures developed in two cases; one patient required regular dilation, and the other patient was treated successfully with tubed perineoscrotal flap urethroplasty. Recurrent URFs developed in two additional patients. Conclusions Surgical approaches for the treatment of URFs associated with complex urethral strictures should be based on a number of considerations including the location of the URF, its aetiology, the length of the urethral strictures, and a history of previous unsuccessful repairs. These results demonstrate that the transperineal–inferior pubic approach may be appropriate as a first-line procedure.

Objectives We evaluated the applications and outcomes of substitution urethroplasty, using a variety of techniques, in 65 patients with complex, long-segment urethral strictures. Methods From January 1995 to December 2005, 65 patients with complex urethral strictures >8cm in length underwent substitution urethroplasty. Of the 65 patients, 43 underwent one-stage urethral reconstruction using mucosal grafts (28 colonic mucosal graft, 12 buccal mucosal graft, and 3 bladder mucosal graft), 17 patients underwent one-stage urethroplasty using pedicle flaps, and 5 patients underwent staged Johanson's urethroplasty. Results The mean follow-up time was 4.8 yr (range; 0.8–10 yr), with an overall success rate of 76.92% (50 of 65 cases). Complications developed in 15 patients (23.08%) and included recurrent stricture in 7 (10.77%), urethrocutaneous fistula in 3 (4.62%), coloabdominal fistula in 1 (1.54%), penile chordee in 2 (3.08%), and urethral pseudodiverticulum in 2 (3.08%). Recurrent strictures and urethral pseudodiverticulum were treated successfully with a subsequent procedure, including repeat urethroplasty in six cases and urethrotomy or dilation in three. Coloabdominal fistula was corrected only by dressing change; five patients await further reconstruction. Conclusions Penile skin, colonic mucosal, and buccal mucosal grafts are excellent materials for substitution urethroplasty. Colonic mucosal graft urethroplasty is a feasible procedure for complicated urethral strictures involving the entire or multiple portions of the urethra and the technique may also be considered for urethral reconstruction in patients in whom other conventional procedures failed.