It is a leading urethra treating procedure with a great success rate and the least complications. It involves open surgery that either reconstructs the urethra or replaces the scarred urethra. It is considered the gold standard in medical sciences when a patient is required to undergo urethral reconstruction with durable and excellent results.

The different types of Urethroplasty are:

• Excision and primary anastomosis (EPA) urethroplasty: It is an ideal procedure for short urinary strictures in which a portion of the scarred urethra is completely exercised. The two different cut ends of the urethra are surgically sewn together. It is a quick and effective procedure with long-term benefits.
• Graft urethroplasty: It uses tissue from any other part of the body and does not have an independent blood supply. The graft urethroplasty involves taking tissues from the internal lining of the mouth or the extra-genital skin. This graft is then surgically implanted to treat urethral strictures.
• Penile flap urethroplasty: It uses a tissue with blood supply intact from the penile skin to reconstruct the urethral stricture. Thus, it does not rely on the scarred urethra for survival. It is ideal for reconstructing long strictures in the penile urethra that act as a patch to narrow urethral segments.
• Staged urethroplasty: It is performed in patients with previous records of failed urethroplasty. It includes two urethroplasty procedures. In the first procedure, the scarred urethra is surgically exercised, and a buccal or skin graft is placed. The second urethroplasty is performed once the graft is well-healed and smooth. In this procedure, the graft is rolled into a tube to reconstruct the urethra.

Any patient experiencing problems that necessitate urethral reconstruction is the right candidate for Urethroplasty. Further, the urethral scar should not be contracting and remain stable before a Urethroplasty. The patient should not have episodes of urinary retention that require inserting a suprapubic (SP) tube. Urologists go for a pre-anesthesia check and pre-operative clearance of all patients before declaring them fit for Urethroplasty.

Urethroplasty is an advanced urethra procedure that may take around 2-5 hours, depending on the type of surgery and patient. Doctors start by preparing the patient for anesthesia and administering general sedatives.

A suprapubic (SP) catheter is inserted to drain urine, and the selected type of Urethroplasty is performed on the patient. The patient’s legs are consistently messaged throughout the procedure to prevent compartment syndrome, a complication from nerve compression. Once the surgery is over, the patient is transferred to the recovery room, and the patient’s vitals are closely monitored.

Urethroplasty performed under the strict supervision of professional urologists is a relatively safe procedure. Thus, it is a well-tolerated procedure with great success rates. The complications in urethroplasty are as low as 10%. The common complications that can be treated after urethroplasty are:

• Any possible infections
• Increased episodes of urinary retention
• The loss of penile sensation
• Referred pain
• Increased episodes of urinary urgency
• ● Hematoma
• ● Bleeding – external or internal
• Recurrence of the urinary stricture
• Urinary inconsistency
• Erectile dysfunction
• Ejaculation issues – Retrograde ejaculation, decreased orgasm intensity, changes in ejaculation
• Urinary fistula
• Urine spraying

The advantages of Urethroplasty are not limited to the following:

• Urethroplasty is a modern urethra procedure highly efficient in eliminating urinary strictures.
• Urethroplasty helps correct and treat multiple urethra injuries.
• Urethroplasty is a low-risk procedure with almost zero chances of infection or inflammation in the testicles.
• ● Urethroplasty is one of the highly recommended treatments for urethra issues with a significant impact on reducing the recurrence of urethral stricture.
• Urethroplasty improves the patient’s quality of life as he can return to normal life after a couple of days of Urethroplasty.

After taking a detailed look at the key reasons to undergo a dedicated Urethroplasty, you may look for a reputable hospital for your medical requirements. SMILES Institute of Gastroenterology LLP is a reputed chain of research institutes and hospitals super-specialized in advanced urethra procedures such as Urethroplasty. You can reach this super-specialty hospital for consultation and advice on different urethra procedures. SMILES has an expert team of qualified doctors who have performed more than 20,000 successful surgeries. Professional doctors take care of every urethroplasty patient to offer the best results using high-end technology that ensures precise treatment.