Tubularized tunica vaginalis graft for male urethral reconstruction

ABSTRACT

Graft substances such as skin, bladder and buccal mucosa have been used for urethral replacement when local epithelial tissue is not available. However, these subtances have been associated with meatal prolapse, stricture and fistula formation. We tried tunica vaginalis as a urethral graft in rabbitsA graft of tunica vaginalis was placed in the excised portion of the urethra in five experimental rabbits. After 6 weeks retrograde urethrograms revealed no strictures and a fistula formation in one rabbit. The histopathologic examination revealed that the tunica vaginalis was covered by the transitional epithelium of the urethra. The tunica vaginalis could be used as a urethral graft in animals with a fistula formation as a complication. (Author)