Urethroplasty for strictures after phallic reconstruction: a single-institution experience

Background: Treatment recommendations for strictures after phalloplasty are lacking.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the outcome of urethroplasty for strictures after phalloplasty and to provide treatment recommendations based on this experience.

Design, setting, and participants: One hundred and eighteen urethroplasties were performed in 79 patients. Mean patient age was 37.6 yr. Mean follow-up was 39 mo.

Intervention: Different types of urethroplasty were used: meatotomy, Heineke-Mikulicz principle (HMP), excision and primary anastomosis (EPA), free graft urethroplasty (FGU), pedicled flap urethroplasty (PFU), two-stage urethroplasty (TSU), and perineostomy followed by urethral reconstruction (PUR).

Measurements: Stricture recurrence was defined as the need for additional instrumentation or surgery.

Results and limitations: Mean stricture length was 3.6 cm. Stricture location was at the meatus, phallic urethra, anastomosis, fixed part, and different locations in 18, 28, 48, 15, and 9 urethroplasties, respectively. Stricture recurrence was observed in 44 urethroplasties (41.12%). Stricture recurrence rate for meatotomy, HMP, EPA, FGU, PFU, TSU, and PUR was 25%, 42.11%, 42.86%, 50%, 40%, 30.3%, and 61.9%, respectively.

Conclusions: The main stricture location after phalloplasty is the anastomosis between the phallic and the fixed part. Urethroplasty for strictures after phalloplasty is associated with a relatively high recurrence rate.

Trial registration: EC UZG 2007/434.