Korean J Urol.  2015 Jul;56(7):478-486. 10.4111/kju.2015.56.7.478.

Tissue transfer techniques in reconstructive urology

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Urology, NYU Langone Medical Center, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. lee.zhao@nyumc.org

Abstract

Tissue transfer techniques are an essential part of the reconstructive urologist's armamentarium. Flaps and graft techniques are widely used in genital and urethral reconstruction. A graft is tissue that is moved from a donor site to a recipient site without its native blood supply. The main types of grafts used in urology are full thickness grafts, split thickness skin grafts and buccal mucosa grafts. Flaps are transferred from the donor site to the recipient site on a pedicle containing its native blood supply. Flaps can be classified based on blood supply, elevation methods or the method of transfer. The most used flaps in urology include penile, preputial, and scrotal skin. We review the various techniques used in reconstructive urology and the outcomes of these techniques.

Keyword

Mouth mucosa; Reconstructive surgical procedures; Surgical flaps; Tissue transplantation; Urologic surgical procedures

MeSH Terms

Genitalia/surgery
Humans
Mouth Mucosa/transplantation
Reconstructive Surgical Procedures/*methods
Skin Transplantation/methods
*Surgical Flaps
Tissue Transplantation/*methods
Ureter/surgery
Urethra/surgery
Urologic Surgical Procedures/*methods

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Patient with Fournier's gangrene. Split thickness skin graft was used for scrotal reconstruction.

  • Fig. 2 Patient after partial penectomy. Split thickness skin graft used for glans reconstruction.

  • Fig. 3 Split thickness skin graft on reconstructed glans after partial penectomy, one week after surgery.

  • Fig. 4 Glans reconstruction using split thickness skin graft after partial penectomy, two months after reconstruction.

  • Fig. 5 Dorsal onlay urethroplasty.

  • Fig. 6 First stage urethroplasty using buccal mucosa graft. The narrowed urethral plate is at the midline and buccal mucosa grafts are on both sides.

  • Fig. 7 Urethroplasty using penile skin flap.

  • Fig. 8 Robotic-assisted buccal mucosa graft ureteroplasty for ureteral stricture.

  • Fig. 9 Endoscopic view after placement of buccal mucosa graft for ureteral stricture. BMG, buccal mucosa graft.


Reference

1. Presman D, Greenfield DL. Reconstruction of the perineal urethra with a free full-thickness skin graft from the prepuce. J Urol. 1953; 69:677–680.
2. Orandi A. One-stage urethroplasty. Br J Urol. 1968; 40:717–719.
3. Castro RB, Oliveira AB, Favorito LA. Utilization of skin flap for reconstruction of the genitalia after an electric burn. Int Braz J Urol. 2006; 32:68–69.
4. Ferreira PC, Reis JC, Amarante JM, Silva AC, Pinho CJ, Oliveira IC, et al. Fournier's gangrene: a review of 43 reconstructive cases. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2007; 119:175–184.
5. Garaffa G, Christopher N, Ralph DJ. The management of genital lymphoedema. BJU Int. 2008; 102:480–484.
6. Tang SH, Kamat D, Santucci RA. Modern management of adult-acquired buried penis. Urology. 2008; 72:124–127.
7. Mokhless IA, Abdeldaeim HM, Rahman A, Zahran M, Safwat A. Penile advancement and lengthening for the management of post-circumcision traumatic short penis in adolescents. Urology. 2010; 76:1483–1487.
8. Higuchi TT, Yamaguchi Y, Wood HM, Angermeier KW. Evaluation and treatment of adult concealed penis. Curr Urol Rep. 2012; 13:277–284.
9. Thakar HJ, Dugi DD 3rd. Skin grafting of the penis. Urol Clin North Am. 2013; 40:439–448.
10. Meeks JJ, Erickson BA, Gonzalez CM. Full-thickness abdominal skin graft for long-segment urethral stricture reconstruction. Int Braz J Urol. 2008; 34:602–607.
11. Greenwood J, Amjadi M, Dearman B, Mackie I. Real-time demonstration of split skin graft inosculation and integra dermal matrix neovascularization using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Eplasty. 2009; 9:e33.
12. Waris T, Rechardt L, Kyösola K. Reinnervation of human skin grafts: a histochemical study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1983; 72:439–447.
13. Jordan GH. Penile reconstruction, phallic construction, and urethral reconstruction. Urol Clin North Am. 1999; 26:1–13.
14. Kinkead TM, Borzi PA, Duffy PG, Ransley PG. Long-term followup of bladder mucosa graft for male urethral reconstruction. J Urol. 1994; 151:1056–1058.
15. Xu YM, Qiao Y, Sa YL, Zhang J, Fu Q, Song LJ. Urethral reconstruction using colonic mucosa graft for complex strictures. J Urol. 2009; 182:1040–1043.
16. Jordan GH. Principles of tissue transfer techniques in urethral reconstruction. Urol Clin North Am. 2002; 29:267–275.
17. Taifour Suliman M. A simple method to facilitate full-thickness skin graft harvest. Burns. 2009; 35:87–88.
18. Meeks JJ, Erickson BA, Fetchev P, Crawford SE, Fine NA, Gonzalez CM. Urethroplasty with abdominal skin grafts for long segment urethral strictures. J Urol. 2010; 183:1880–1884.
19. Liu JS, Han J, Said M, Hofer MD, Fuchs A, Ballek N, et al. Long-term outcomes of urethroplasty with abdominal wall skin grafts. Urology. 2015; 85:258–262.
20. Thompson JH, Zmaj P, Cummings JM, Steinhardt GF. An approach for using full thickness skin grafts for complex penile surgeries in children. J Urol. 2006; 175:1869–1871.
21. Manoj B, Sanjeev N, Pandurang PN, Jaideep M, Ravi M. Postauricular skin as an alternative to oral mucosa for anterior onlay graft urethroplasty: a preliminary experience in patients with oral mucosa changes. Urology. 2009; 74:345–348.
22. Yildirim S, Akan M, Akoz T, Tanoglu B. The preputium: an overlooked skin graft donor site. Ann Plast Surg. 2001; 46:630–634.
23. Vincent MP, Horton CE, Devine CJ Jr. An evaluation of skin grafts for reconstruction of the penis and scrotum. Clin Plast Surg. 1988; 15:411–424.
24. Malloy TR, Wein AJ, Gross P. Scrotal and penile lymphedema: surgical considerations and management. J Urol. 1983; 130:263–265.
25. Black PC, Friedrich JB, Engrav LH, Wessells H. Meshed unexpanded split-thickness skin grafting for reconstruction of penile skin loss. J Urol. 2004; 172:976–979.
26. Morey AF, Meng MV, McAninch JW. Skin graft reconstruction of chronic genital lymphedema. Urology. 1997; 50:423–426.
27. Carr LK, MacDiarmid SA, Webster GD. Treatment of complex anterior urethral stricture disease with mesh graft urethroplasty. J Urol. 1997; 157:104–108.
28. Dalpiaz O, Kerschbaumer A, Pelzer A, Radmayr C, Gozzi C, Horninger W, et al. Single-stage dorsal inlay split-skin graft for salvage anterior urethral reconstruction. BJU Int. 2008; 101:1565–1570.
29. Liu Y, Zhuang L, Ye W, Ping P, Wu M. One-stage dorsal inlay oral mucosa graft urethroplasty for anterior urethral stricture. BMC Urol. 2014; 14:35.
30. Levine LA, Strom KH, Lux MM. Buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty for anterior urethral stricture repair: evaluation of the impact of stricture location and lichen sclerosus on surgical outcome. J Urol. 2007; 178:2011–2015.
31. Castagnetti M, Ghirardo V, Capizzi A, Andretta M, Rigamonti W. Donor site outcome after oral mucosa harvest for urethroplasty in children and adults. J Urol. 2008; 180:2624–2628.
32. Wood DN, Allen SE, Andrich DE, Greenwell TJ, Mundy AR. The morbidity of buccal mucosal graft harvest for urethroplasty and the effect of nonclosure of the graft harvest site on postoperative pain. J Urol. 2004; 172:580–583.
33. Simonato A, Gregori A, Lissiani A, Galli S, Ottaviani F, Rossi R, et al. The tongue as an alternative donor site for graft urethroplasty: a pilot study. J Urol. 2006; 175:589–592.
34. Barbagli G, De Angelis M, Romano G, Ciabatti PG, Lazzeri M. The use of lingual mucosal graft in adult anterior urethroplasty: surgical steps and short-term outcome. Eur Urol. 2008; 54:671–676.
35. Nakajima H, Fujino T, Adachi S. A new concept of vascular supply to the skin and classification of skin flaps according to their vascularization. Ann Plast Surg. 1986; 16:1–19.
36. Kimyai-Asadi A, Goldberg LH. Island pedicle flap. Dermatol Clin. 2005; 23:113–127.
37. Garaffa G, Sansalone S, Ralph DJ. Penile reconstruction. Asian J Androl. 2013; 15:16–19.
38. Stokes TH, Follmar KE, Silverstein AD, Weizer AZ, Donatucci CF, Anderson EE, et al. Use of negative-pressure dressings and split-thickness skin grafts following penile shaft reduction and reduction scrotoplasty in the management of penoscrotal elephantiasis. Ann Plast Surg. 2006; 56:649–653.
39. Gillett MD, Rathbun SR, Husmann DA, Clay RP, Kramer SA. Split-thickness skin graft for the management of concealed penis. J Urol. 2005; 173:579–582.
40. Modolin M, Mitre AI, da Silva JC, Cintra W, Quagliano AP, Arap S, et al. Surgical treatment of lymphedema of the penis and scrotum. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2006; 61:289–294.
41. Hadway P, Corbishley CM, Watkin NA. Total glans resurfacing for premalignant lesions of the penis: initial outcome data. BJU Int. 2006; 98:532–536.
42. Belinky JJ, Cheliz GM, Graziano CA, Rey HM. Glanuloplasty with urethral flap after partial penectomy. J Urol. 2011; 185:204–206.
43. McDougal WS. Scrotal reconstruction using thigh pedicle flaps. J Urol. 1983; 129:757–759.
44. Lin CT, Chang SC, Chen SG, Tzeng YS. Reconstruction of perineoscrotal defects in Fournier's gangrene with pedicle anterolateral thigh perforator flap. ANZ J Surg. 2014; 2014:Jul. 24. [Epub]. DOI: 10.1111/ans.12782.
45. Andrich DE, Dunglison N, Greenwell TJ, Mundy AR. The long-term results of urethroplasty. J Urol. 2003; 170:90–92.
46. Lee YJ, Kim SW. Current management of urethral stricture. Korean J Urol. 2013; 54:561–569.
47. Splieth CH, Sumnig W, Bessel F, John U, Kocher T. Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in a representative population. Quintessence Int. 2007; 38:23–29.
48. Ehrlich RM, Alter G. Split-thickness skin graft urethroplasty and tunica vaginalis flaps for failed hypospadias repairs. J Urol. 1996; 155:131–134.
49. Hussein MM, Moursy E, Gamal W, Zaki M, Rashed A, Abozaid A. The use of penile skin graft versus penile skin flap in the repair of long bulbo-penile urethral stricture: a prospective randomized study. Urology. 2011; 77:1232–1237.
50. el-Kasaby AW, Fath-Alla M, Noweir AM, el-Halaby MR, Zakaria W, el-Beialy MH. The use of buccal mucosa patch graft in the management of anterior urethral strictures. J Urol. 1993; 149:276–278.
51. Morey AF, McAninch JW. When and how to use buccal mucosal grafts in adult bulbar urethroplasty. Urology. 1996; 48:194–198.
52. Dubey D, Kumar A, Mandhani A, Srivastava A, Kapoor R, Bhandari M. Buccal mucosal urethroplasty: a versatile technique for all urethral segments. BJU Int. 2005; 95:625–629.
53. Meeks JJ, Erickson BA, Gonzalez CM. Staged reconstruction of long segment urethral strictures in men with previous pediatric hypospadias repair. J Urol. 2009; 181:685–689.
54. Cohen SD, Armenakas NA, Light DM, Fracchia JA, Glasberg SB. Single-surgeon experience of 87 buccal mucosal graft harvests. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012; 130:101–104.
55. Morey AF, McAninch JW. Technique of harvesting buccal mucosa for urethral reconstruction. J Urol. 1996; 155:1696–1697.
56. Barbagli G, Palminteri E, Guazzoni G, Montorsi F, Turini D, Lazzeri M. Bulbar urethroplasty using buccal mucosa grafts placed on the ventral, dorsal or lateral surface of the urethra: are results affected by the surgical technique? J Urol. 2005; 174:955–957.
57. Barbagli G, Selli C, Tosto A, Palminteri E. Dorsal free graft urethroplasty. J Urol. 1996; 155:123–126.
58. Iselin CE, Webster GD. Dorsal onlay graft urethroplasty for repair of bulbar urethral stricture. J Urol. 1999; 161:815–818.
59. Kulkarni S, Barbagli G, Sansalone S, Lazzeri M. One-sided anterior urethroplasty: a new dorsal onlay graft technique. BJU Int. 2009; 104:1150–1155.
60. Asopa HS, Garg M, Singhal GG, Singh L, Asopa J, Nischal A. Dorsal free graft urethroplasty for urethral stricture by ventral sagittal urethrotomy approach. Urology. 2001; 58:657–659.
61. Guralnick ML, Webster GD. The augmented anastomotic urethroplasty: indications and outcome in 29 patients. J Urol. 2001; 165:1496–1501.
62. Dubey D, Sehgal A, Srivastava A, Mandhani A, Kapoor R, Kumar A. Buccal mucosal urethroplasty for balanitis xerotica obliterans related urethral strictures: the outcome of 1 and 2-stage techniques. J Urol. 2005; 173:463–466.
63. Zheng DC, Yao HJ, Cai ZK, Da J, Chen Q, Chen YB, et al. Two-stage urethroplasty is a better choice for proximal hypospadias with severe chordee after urethral plate transection: a single-center experience. Asian J Androl. 2015; 17:94–97.
64. McAninch JW. Reconstruction of extensive urethral strictures: circular fasciocutaneous penile flap. J Urol. 1993; 149:488–491.
65. Carney KJ, McAninch JW. Penile circular fasciocutaneous flaps to reconstruct complex anterior urethral strictures. Urol Clin North Am. 2002; 29:397–409.
66. Srivastava A, Vashishtha S, Singh UP, Srivastava A, Ansari MS, Kapoor R, et al. Preputial/penile skin flap, as a dorsal onlay or tubularized flap: a versatile substitute for complex anterior urethral stricture. BJU Int. 2012; 110(11 Pt C):E1101–E1108.
67. Dubey D, Vijjan V, Kapoor R, Srivastava A, Mandhani A, Kumar A, et al. Dorsal onlay buccal mucosa versus penile skin flap urethroplasty for anterior urethral strictures: results from a randomized prospective trial. J Urol. 2007; 178:2466–2469.
68. Barbagli G, Morgia G, Lazzeri M. Retrospective outcome analysis of one-stage penile urethroplasty using a flap or graft in a homogeneous series of patients. BJU Int. 2008; 102:853–860.
69. Agrawal V, Dassi V, Andankar MG. Buccal mucosal graft onlay repair for a ureteric ischemic injury following a pyeloplasty. Indian J Urol. 2010; 26:120–122.
70. Badawy AA, Abolyosr A, Saleem MD, Abuzeid AM. Buccal mucosa graft for ureteral stricture substitution: initial experience. Urology. 2010; 76:971–975.
71. Naude JH. Buccal mucosal grafts in the treatment of ureteric lesions. BJU Int. 1999; 83:751–754.
72. Sadhu S, Pandit K, Roy MK, Bajoria SK. Buccal mucosa ureteroplasty for the treatment of complex ureteric injury. Indian J Surg. 2011; 73:71–72.
73. Kroepfl D, Loewen H, Klevecka V, Musch M. Treatment of long ureteric strictures with buccal mucosal grafts. BJU Int. 2010; 105:1452–1455.
74. Marien T, Bjurlin M, Wynia B, Bilbily M, Rao G, Zhao LC, et al. Outcomes of Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Upper Urinary Tract Reconstruction: 250 Consecutive Patients. BJU Int. 2015; Feb. 13. [Epub]. DOI: 10.1111/bju.13086.
75. Zhao LC, Yamaguchi Y, Bryk DJ, Maddox MM, Powers MK, Harbin A, et al. MP29-01 multi-institutional study of robotic buccal mucosa graft ureteroplasty: inital results. J Urol. 2015; 193(4S):e339.
Full Text Links
  • KJU
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr