title: The type of urethroplasty for a pelvic fracture urethral distraction defect cannot be predicted preoperatively.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pelvic fracture urethral distraction defects (PFUDDs) are generally treated surgically by a so-called progression approach consisting of 4 steps to achieve a tension-free bulboprostatic anastomosis. Implicitly the need for each step in turn is predictable according to the length of the defect on preoperative x-ray.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 62 evaluable patients with PFUDD the length of the radiological defect was compared with the surgical steps that subsequently proved necessary to achieve a tension-free bulboprostatic anastomosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Except at the extremes of length there was no association between defect length and the scale of the surgery performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgeons preparing to repair an apparently short PFUDD cannot assume that simple repair is all that is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Urology, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Andrich
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: O'Malley
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Summerton
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Greenwell
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mundy
mesh_terms: D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D011467:Prostate / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D014521:Urethra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D013521:Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male / Q000379:methods