title: Evaluation of crural release and ischial osteotomy for relief of tension in the repair of large segmental urethral defects in male cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine if the tension at the site of a urethral anastomosis can be relieved by performing either a crural release technique or an ischial osteotomy technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cadaveric study and 2 case reports.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male cat cadavers (n = 18).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cats were divided into 2 groups; crural release (n = 9) and ischial osteotomy (n = 9). In each group, 20%, 25%, and 30% of the pelvic urethra was excised in 3 cats. The length of the urethral defect was measured after excision of the urethral segment, and after approximation, before and subsequent to the tension relieving technique performed. Two clinical cases are described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both crural release and ischial osteotomy were effective in relieving the tension encountered at the urethral anastomosis after removal of 20% of the urethral length. In the ischial osteotomy group, apposition without tension after removing up to 30% of the intrapelvic urethral length was easily achieved. A similar technique was successfully used in 2 clinical cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crural release and ischial osteotomy techniques allow approximation and tension free anastomosis of large segmental defects of the pelvic urethra in cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Surgery, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Orly
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zemer
authors.forename: Hadas
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benzioni
authors.forename: Rotem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Shelly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zineman
authors.forename: Efrat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kelmer
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shipov
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milgram
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002102:Cadaver; D002415:Cats / Q000601:surgery*; D007512:Ischium / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000662:veterinary; D012421:Rupture / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D014521:Urethra / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D013521:Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*