title: Epilation of hair-bearing urethral grafts using the neodymium:YAG surgical laser.
abstract: Nonhair-bearing skin should be used when grafting is necessary during urethroplasty for stricture or hypospadias repair. Occasionally, this is not possible or hair-bearing skin is used inadvertently. Traditionally, electrocoagulation has been the method used for epilation when intraluminal hair has become a problem, such as interfering with flow, as a focus for recurrent urinary tract infection or acting as a nidus for calculus formation. Electrocautery also is performed during grafting in an attempt to prevent the growth of hair when hair-bearing skin is used. Unfortunately, due to lack of penetration the hair follicles are not destroyed and the epilating procedure fails or is only partially successful. The neodymium:YAG surgical laser can photocoagulate tissue to a depth up to 5.0 mm, and thus, has the ability to destroy hair follicles. We report 4 cases presenting with clinical problems directly related to hair-bearing urethral grafts successfully treated by neodymium:YAG laser epilation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Osteopathic Medical Center of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Blatstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004724:Endoscopy; D006204:Hair Removal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007021:Hypospadias / Q000601:surgery; D008028:Light Coagulation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014521:Urethra / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000601:surgery