Experience with One-Stage Repair of Urethral Strictures Using the Augmented Anastomotic Repair Technique

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Surgical Techniques
• Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Anterior urethral strictures present a significant reconstructive challenge.
• Augmented anastomotic repair (AAR) is a surgical option for complex cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of augmented anastomotic repair (AAR) for anterior urethral strictures.
• To analyze factors influencing stricture recurrence after AAR.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 71 patients undergoing AAR between 2004 and 2013.
• Assessment of early (Clavien-Dindo classification) and late complications.
• Data collection via patient and urologist questionnaires; stricture recurrence (SR) defined as re-intervention.

Main Results:

• Low rate of early postoperative complications (11.3%), with no severe events.
• High overall success rate of 90.1% at a median follow-up of 17 months.
• Stricture recurrence (SR) associated with higher BMI, older age, and less experienced surgeons; most SRs occurred within the first year.

Conclusions:

• Augmented anastomotic repair (AAR) is an effective and safe one-stage surgical technique for anterior urethral strictures.
• AAR is suitable for patients requiring urethral resection not amenable to primary anastomosis or simple substitution urethroplasty.