OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of one-stage phallic reconstruction with the extended pudendal-thigh flap (EPTF) to achieve a higher survival rate, shorter surgical cycle, and more experimental evidence for the clinical application of the technique.

METHODSWe equally randomized 36 healthy adult New Zealand rabbits to an experimental and a control group to receive one-stage phallic reconstruction, the former with EPTF (pudendal-thigh flap + thigh cutaneous branches of the superficial external pudendal artery, PTF + TCB), the urethra reconstructed with the TCB flap, and the latter with bilateral pudendal-thigh flaps.

RESULTSThe survival rate of the reconstructed phallus was 83.33% (15/18) and the urine leakage was 55.56% (10/18) in the experimental group, as compared with 38.89% (7/18) and 72.22% (13/18) in the controls.

CONCLUSIONOne-stage phallic reconstruction with EPTF, with its higher survival rate and shorter surgical cycle, is a desirable substitute for phallic reconstruction with bilateral pudendal-thigh flaps.