Choma T J, Poppas D P, Presberg H J, Cundiff M, Schlossberg S M
Department of Urology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk 23501.
Lasers Surg Med. 1992;12(6):639-44. doi: 10.1002/lsm.1900120612.
Our previous work has shown that the CO2 laser can be successfully used in urethral reconstruction in a rat model. This new experiment investigates the use of the CO2 laser to perform a patch graft urethroplasty in the rabbit, as a preclinical model to its use in the repair of hypospadias in humans. Using sterile technique, a patch graft of preputial skin was welded in the repair of a standardized urethral defect in 10 rabbits. In another cohort, the same urethral defect was repaired using standard microsuture technique. In a control group the patch graft was placed with microsuture in a nonwatertight fashion. All animals were followed for 3 weeks. Histologic and radiologic analyses were done in a blinded fashion. Our study showed that CO2 laser repair, when compared to microsuture in urethral reconstruction, required 40% less operative time and produced better graft healing and less intraluminal scarring.
