Technique of harvesting buccal mucosa for urethral reconstruction.
OBJECTIVE
Buccal mucosa has been used increasingly by urologists for urethral substitution in complex hypospadias repair. We have found buccal mucosa to be useful in reconstruction of bulbar urethral strictures, and describe a simple and reliable technique for harvest.


METHODS
In 11 patients with refractory bulbar urethral strictures a nontubularized onlay patch of buccal mucosa was used for urethral reconstruction. All procedures were done with a 2-team approach in which 1 team (usually an oral surgeon and urologist) harvested the graft from the mouth, while the perineal team simultaneously exposed and calibrated the stricture.


RESULTS
The length of buccal mucosa used ranged from 3.5 to 17 cm. (average 6.4). All patients achieved excellent results. No oral complications were noted, even in patients in whom multiple buccal mucosal grafts were obtained.


CONCLUSIONS
With the technique reported, buccal mucosa is a reliable, easily obtained tissue for patch graft urethroplasty. Our 2-team approach decreased operative time considerably.
Morey
A F
AF
Department of Urology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, 94143-0738, USA.
McAninch
J W
JW
D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000601:surgery*; D014572:Urology / Q000379:methods