title: Use of free grafts in urethral stricture reconstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The indications, contraindications and results of free graft urethroplasty are determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was done of 40 consecutive patients who underwent free graft urethroplasty with penile and preputial skin, buccal mucosa and bladder epithelium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 35 patients in whom adequate followup data were available the outcome was successful in 30 (86%). Success was unrelated to donor site, prior intervention or cause of stricture. Failure was attributed to placement of grafts onto the penile urethra and patient age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For strictures in the bulbar urethra the success rate of free grafts was high. Failures occurred in patients in whom full thickness skin grafts were extended far onto the penile urethra.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wessells
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: McAninch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002610:Cheek; D004848:Epithelium / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D016378:Tissue Transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001743:Urinary Bladder