Aptness and complications of labial mucosa grafts for the repair of anterior urethral defects in children and adults: single centre experience with 115 cases.
OBJECTIVE
We report a comprehensive review of our experience with labial mucosa graft urethroplasty to evaluate the indications for this kind of substitution urethroplasty, and the possible complications and risk factors for an untoward recipient site outcome both in children and adults.


METHODS
Complications were retrospectively assessed by chart review. Patients with and without complications were compared with respect to age at surgery, indication for surgery (epispadias vs. hypospadias vs. urethral stricture), graft length and configuration (tube vs. patch). Moreover, in cases with urethral stricture a comparison was made according to the level of the stricture (penile vs. bulbar).


RESULTS
After a median follow-up of 36 (6–90) months, the overall success rate was 66%. Complications were observed in 39 (34%) patients, of whom 18 (16%) required additional surgical procedures. Complications appeared to be unrelated to patient age at surgery, indication for surgery, graft length, and the urethral level of the stricture. Use of the graft as a tube was the single factor significantly more frequent in patients experiencing complications, particularly in the urethral defects associated with hypospadias where use of a tube corresponded to an odd ratio of 5.86 (95% CI 1.5–23.4).


CONCLUSIONS
Oral grafts harvested from the lower lip are a versatile tissue for the repair of urethral defects associated with either urethral malformations or strictures, both in children and adults. Use of the graft as an on-lay seems preferable particularly in hypospadias repairs.
Castagnetti
Marco
M
Section of Paediatric Urology, Urology Unit, Department of Oncological and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital of Padova, Monoblocco Ospedaliero, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padua, Italy. mcarcocastagnetti@hotmail.com
Rigamonti
Waifro
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004842:Epispadias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007021:Hypospadias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D008046:Lip / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014521:Urethra / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013521:Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*