Use of pedicled dartos flap wrap around technique in elaborarted perineal repair of complex pelvic fracture urethral distraction defect

Abstract

Objectives:

To describe the use of a pedicled dartos flap between the pubic bone and bulbar urethra after elaborate perineal urethroplasty in complex pelvic fracture urethral distraction defect. This is to prevent the risk of entrapment of the anastomotic area within a fibrous scar and hence prevent the risk of urethral stricture recurrence. Our objective is also to theorise the entity of bulbar urethral entrapment to describe the trapping of the bulbar urethra by fibrosis after extensive bone resection in complex cases of pelvic fracture urethral distraction defect.

Methods:

Ten patients with complex pelvic fracture urethral distraction defect underwent perineal urethroplasty at our institution from 2017 to 2019. Urethroplasty was done using the elaborated perineal approach in the standard fashion. Pedicled fibrofatty tissue along with dartos from the scrotum was used to separate the site of urethral anastomosis from the bare pubic bone and fill the dead space.

Results:

All patients are asymptomatic with no stricture recurrence in follow-up.

Conclusions:

Vascularised pedicle flap should become an important tenant in the elaborated perineal repair of complex pelvic fracture urethral distraction defect. It provides an ideal option in this scenario by decreasing the risk of urethral stricture recurrence without adding morbidity and minimum extra operative time.

Level of evidence:

Not applicable.