title: A Novel Approach to Penile Augmentation Urethroplasty Using Buccal Mucosa and Amniotic Membrane: A Pilot Study in a Rabbit Model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the success of amniotic membrane (AM) and buccal mucosa (BM) grafts and simultaneous use of both in penile augmentation urethroplasty in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 12 New Zealand rabbits were divided into 3 groups by grafting style: Group 1 (AM), Group 2 (BM), and Group 3 (simultaneous use of BM and AM). In all animals, a standardized urethral defect was created. BM and AM were obtained from the rabbits. Solely AM grafts were affixed to the defects in Group 1, solely BM grafts were affixed to the urethral defects in Group 2, and simultaneous AM + BM grafts were affixed in Group 3. At 4 and 8 weeks, the penises were subject to histological assessment of subepithelial fibrosis, epithelial transformation, and inflammatory reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stenosis was detected in none of the groups. A dehiscence was developed in one rabbit in Group 1 and a fistula was developed in one rabbit in Group 2. After 4 weeks, minimal subepithelial fibrosis and inflammatory reaction were observed in Group 2, while subepithelial fibrosis was not in Groups 3. After 8 weeks, subepithelial connective tissue proliferation was moderate in Group 2, at both 4th and 8th weeks in Group 2. After 8 weeks, the best epithelial transformations were observed in Group 3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In an animal model, the simultaneous use of AM and BM grafts following acute urethral injury may be feasible for penile augmentation urethroplasty. Further study is needed.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey. Electronic address: mustafagunes@sdu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Güneş
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muammer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altok
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alime
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Güneş
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umul
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Özyıldız
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Tolga Taha
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Sönmez
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hikmet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orhan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey.
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Özmen
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D010413:Penis / Q000601:surgery*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011817:Rabbits; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000601:surgery*; D013521:Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male / Q000379:methods*