One-stage circumferential buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty for bulbous stricture repair

Urology 2003; 61: 452-455.
 

A one-stage onlay urethroplasty, using a buccal mucosa graft, is presented for patients with bulbous strictures in whom the urethral mucosa is seriously involved in the disease. Of 40 patients who underwent a dorsal buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty for bulbous urethral strictures, 5 required complete removal of the urethral mucosa and its replacement by a buccal mucosa graft. All these patients had undergone previous urethrotomy with a false passage inside the bulbous urethra and had a suprapubic tube in place. The goal of removal and replacement of the urethral mucosa in each case was to create a new, wide urethral mucosal bed to promote successful one-stage reconstruction. All patients voided spontaneously without problems after removal of the catheter. After 4 months, the mean peak flow was 21 mL/s. After 6 months, urethroscopy did not show any stricture recurrence. None of the patients required instrumentation or dilation. In patients with bulbous urethral strictures and false passage into the mucosa and spongiosum tissues, the complete removal and replacement of the urethral mucosa using a circumferential buccal mucosa graft promotes successful one-stage urethral reconstruction.