title: CO2 laser urethroplasty in the rabbit: a preclinical model.
abstract: Our previous work has shown that the CO2 laser can be successfully used in urethral reconstruction in a rat model. This new experiment investigates the use of the CO2 laser to perform a patch graft urethroplasty in the rabbit, as a preclinical model to its use in the repair of hypospadias in humans. Using sterile technique, a patch graft of preputial skin was welded in the repair of a standardized urethral defect in 10 rabbits. In another cohort, the same urethral defect was repaired using standard microsuture technique. In a control group the patch graft was placed with microsuture in a nonwatertight fashion. All animals were followed for 3 weeks. Histologic and radiologic analyses were done in a blinded fashion. Our study showed that CO2 laser repair, when compared to microsuture in urethral reconstruction, required 40% less operative time and produced better graft healing and less intraluminal scarring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk 23501.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Choma
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Poppas
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Presberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cundiff
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schlossberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D011859:Radiography; D014521:Urethra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*