Perineal anastomotic urethroplasty in a pediatric cohort with posterior urethral strictures: critical analysis of outcomes in a contemporary series.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the long-term outcomes of perineal anastomotic urethroplasty for post-traumatic pediatric posterior urethral strictures.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 65 boys who had a perineal anastomotic urethroplasty for post-traumatic posterior urethral strictures between 1991 and 2010. Patients were followed up for a mean (range) of 78 (13-210) months by a history, urinary flow rate estimate, retrograde urethrography, and voiding cystourethrography. Regression analysis was done to assess the predictors of success after urethroplasty.

RESULTS

The mean (range) age of the patients was 9.3 (3-16) years. The estimated radiographic stricture length before surgery was 2.4 (1-5) cm. All patients presented with a suprapubic cystostomy tube and scheduled for delayed or repeated correction of a urethral stricture. Twenty boys (30%) had failed previous attempts of repair elsewhere. Mean interval between the original trauma and repair in new cases, and since the last repair in recurrent cases, was 7 months. The perineal anastomotic repair was successful in 58 of 65 (89%) patients. All treatment failures were at the anastomosis and were within the first year. Failed repairs were successfully managed endoscopically in 5 patients and by repeat perineal anastomotic repair in the remaining 2. All boys are continent. There was no chordee or urethral diverticula during the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

One-stage perineal anastomotic repair of post-traumatic urethral strictures in boys is feasible with minimal morbidity. Denovo cases and surgeon experience are the predictors of success after urethroplasty.