'7-flap' perineal urethrostomy: an effective option for obese men with devastated urethras

To present an updated experience using our previously reported lateral perineal '7-flap' technique for perineal urethrostomy (PU), highlighting its role in a variety of patients with advanced urethral stricture disease.

All patients who underwent 7-flap PU from 2009-2013 were reviewed. PU was constructed by advancing a "7"-shaped laterally based perineal skin flap into a spatulated, amputated bulbomembranous urethra. The contralateral side of the amputated proximal urethra was then matured to the advanced perineal skin. Patients were stratified by body mass index (BMI) and outcomes were compared.

Among 748 patients undergoing urethroplasty during the study period, 22 men (2.9%; mean age 61, range 31-80) received a 7-flap PU for advanced stricture disease (mean follow up 32 months). A majority of patients (14/22, 64%) were obese (BMI = 30). Disease etiologies consisted primarily of lichen sclerosus (9/22, 41%) while 6/22 (27%) had failed prior urethral reconstructions elsewhere. Mean operative time was 108 min (range 54-214), mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 76 cc (30-200), and all patients were discharged immediately after surgery. Urethrostomy creation was possible in all patients regardless of BMI (mean 33, range 22-43), and there were no differences with regards to EBL (p = 0.71), operative time (p = 0.38), or success rate (p = 0.76) in obese versus non-obese patients undergoing 7-flap PU. Nearly all patients (21/22, 95%) are voiding spontaneously on follow up without the need for any additional procedure.

In our updated experience, performance of 7-flap urethrostomy has resulted in durable long term success with acceptable performance in technically challenging cases.