Non-transecting anastomotic bulbar urethroplasty: a preliminary report

OBJECTIVE To report our early experience with a novel approach to the excision and end-to-end anastomotic repair of bulbar urethral strictures. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 22 patients underwent excision and end-to-end anastomosis of a proximal bulbar urethral stricture using a technique in which the corpus spongiosum is not transected, so as to maintain its blood supply intact. The range of follow-up was 6-21 months and for 16 patients the follow up was >= 1year. RESULTS At 1 year of follow-up there was no evidence of a recurrent stricture on symptomatic assessment or uroflowmetry in the 16 patients. On urethrography one patient has a urethral calibre 80% of normal. In the other 15 the calibre is normal or greater than normal. CONCLUSION The non-transecting anastomotic bulbar urethroplasty technique used appears to give results that are as good as those of traditional anastomotic urethroplasty with less surgical trauma.