title: Nontransected ventral onlay-augmented urethroplasty using autologous saphenous vein graft in a rabbit model of urethral stricture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of nontransected ventral onlay-augmented urethroplasty using an autologous saphenous vein graft in a rabbit model of urethral stricture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten white male rabbits weighing 3.0-3.5 kg were selected, and a long tract urethral stricture was generated by excising an 0.8-cm wide and 2-cm long portion of the distal urethra. One month after the procedure, the rabbits were randomized into a urethral stricture group (n = 5) or urethroplasty with saphenous vein graft group (n = 5). Another 5 rabbits served as a normal control group. Retrograde urethrography was performed at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery in all groups, and the rabbits were killed at 12 weeks postoperatively for histopathologic and immunohistochemical evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean operated urethral width of the normal, stricture, and vein graft group was 10.2 ± 0.84, 4.3 ± 0.97, and 10.04 ± 2.35 mm at 2 weeks postoperatively, respectively (P = .008). The 4-, 8-, and 12-week postoperative urethrograms revealed results similar to those of the 2-week postoperative urethrograms. Histologic analysis showed the neourethra was epithelialized with urothelium in the vein graft group. All the rabbits survived throughout the study period without fistula formation or infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nontransected ventral onlay-augmented urethroplasty using an autologous saphenous vein graft can be an effective and feasible procedure for the surgical management of long tract urethral stricture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Bum Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Se Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Joint Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Joint Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animal Research Support Team, Yeungnam University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Phil Hyun
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea; Joint Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea. Electronic address: tgkwon@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Tae Gyun
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000601:surgery*; D013521:Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male / Q000379:methods