Fetal penile and urethral development subsequent to vascular insult in the last trimester of gestation: an experimental study in goat fetuses.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate a possible mechanism (the vascular theory) in the development of congenital anomalies of the penis and urethra in the fetus of the goat.


METHODS
Fifteen male Angora goat fetuses underwent an operation at 110-114 days of gestation whereby branches of the internal pudendal artery within the superficial compartment of the perineum were ligated. Five male fetuses served as controls in which the perineum was explored with no ligation.


RESULTS
Five treated and three control live offspring were delivered spontaneously. Although no genitourinary anomalies were observed on gross examination, histopathological examination of the penises of treated animals revealed smaller penises with increased fibrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
A defective vascular supply can partly explain the morphogenesis of some aspects of the congenital anomalies of the penis and urethra.
Kizilcan
F
F
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Karnak
I
I
Tanyel
F C
FC
Cakar
N
N
Buyukpamukcu
N
N
Hicsonmez
A
A
D000818:Animals; D005865:Gestational Age; D006041:Goats / Q000196:embryology*; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology; D014521:Urethra / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology