Skin island urethroplasty in deep urethral lesions--a long-term follow-up of 25 consecutive patients.

Strictures and ruptures of the bulbomembranous urethra have traditionally been treated by a two-stage scrotal skin inlay technique (Johanson B. Reconstruction of the male urethra in strictures. Acta Chir Scand 1953; Suppl 176). For the last 10 years we have treated the patients instead with a skin-dartos island flap pedicled on intertesticular septal vessels. The skin island has been taken from the scrotum, the penile base, or the penile shaft. Twenty-five consecutive patients were treated until 1993 and followed up for at least 5 years. Five of the patients had had open urethroplasty before. Fifteen of the patients had urethral strictures and 10 had complete ruptures. Of the 25 patients 6 had to have a further operation; in 4 patients this was because of restricture, in 1 patient a urethral pouch had to be reduced, and in the final patient the operation was both for restricture and pouch formation. At final follow-up impaired micturition occurred in three patients: two of them had had a ruptured urethra treated previously, and one had a chronic infectious stricture. Problems related to hirsutism were low. No obvious advantage was detected from using distal penile skin, so a skin-dartos island from the penile base is advocated. In conclusion, a one-stage skin-dartos island flap pedicled on the intertesticular septal vessels may be recommended in the treatment of both strictures and complete ruptures in the bulbomembranous urethra.