Analysis of the factors involved in the failure of urethroplasty in men.

INTRODUCTION Outcome of urethroplasty techniques in our environment and risk factors for recurrence of stenosis in these patients are studied in this paper. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective study on men with urethral strictures treated with urethroplasty in the period 2000-2012. Maximum flow (Qmax), post-void residual (PVR) urine and patient perception of voiding were obtained pre- and postoperatively. Complications were recorded according to the Clavien-Dindo scale. Recurrent stricture was defined according to clinical criteria and endoscopic or imaging confirmation (failure of urethroplasty). Univariate analysis (log-rank) and multivariate (Cox regression) were performed to define the variables implied in the recurrence. RESULTS 82 patients with mean age 55.6 ± 17.4 (19-84 years) underwent surgery for urethroplasty. 28% of patients showed multiple stricture, 73.2% bulbar stricture, 41.54% penile stricture and 14.6% membranous stricture. End-to-end anastomosis was performed in 26 cases (31.7%), flap urethroplasty in 21 (25.6%), urethroplasty with free graft in 31 (37.8%) and two-time urethroplasty in 4 (4.9%). Graft urethroplasty showed a longer operative time (p = 0.02) and shorter hospital stay (P = 0.0035). The results were: mean ΔQmax (mean on baseline) 9.1 ± 7.5 and mean ΔPVR -65.8 ± 136 (both P < 0.0001). Minor early complications occurred in 8 (9.8%) and major in 3 (3.6%). Recurrence occurred at a mean time of 39.8 ± 39.2 months in 18 patients (21.9%). The percentage of recurrence-free patients was: 91.4% (1-year), 82.1% (5-year) and 78.1% (10-year). Univariate analysis assessed technique used (log-rank, P = 0.13), age (P = 0.2), length stricture (P = 0.003), previous Sachse (P = 0.18), associated lichen (P = 0.18), multiplicity (P = 0.36), year of surgery (P = 0.2), Qmax (P = 0.3) and RPM (P = 0.07) preoperative. End to end anastomosis (HR 4.98, P = 0.04) and length > 3 cm (HR 4.6, P = 0.01) were identified by regression analysis as independent variables associated with poor prognosis. CONCLUSION Length stricture is both prognostic factor and criterion on choosing the type of urethroplasty, and it makes more complicated to compare the success rates of each surgical procedure. Whatever the stricture size is, the results of anastomotic urethroplasty are worse than those of urethroplasty with buccal mucosal-free grafts.