Congenital lower urinary tract obstruction (CLUTO) is a spectrum of fetal malformations caused by anatomical abnormalities of the urethra, characterized by high rates of perinatal complications and mortality. The 2024 joint guideline from the European Association of Urology (EAU) and the European Society for Paediatric Urology (ESPU) introduced systematic revisions to the comprehensive management of CLUTO. Key updates encompass advancements in prenatal and postnatal screening and precise diagnosis, refined fetal prognosis assessment, clearer indications and modality selection for prenatal intervention, optimization of postnatal treatment strategies, and the establishment of a lifelong follow-up framework within an integrated care pathway. This article elucidates these key updates by comparing the 2024 EAU/ESPU guideline with the 2022 European Rare Kidney Disease Reference Network (ERKNet) consensus. It also discusses ongoing controversies and future research directions. The aim is to provide clinicians with the latest evidence-based insights to inform practice, ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for children with CLUTO.
Humans ; Urology ; Female ; Urethral Obstruction/therapy* ; Pregnancy ; Child ; Europe ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Infant, Newborn ; Urethra/abnormalities*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differential efficacy and safety profiles of oral mucosa (OM) grafts compared with acellular dermal matrix (ADM) grafts in the surgical management of long-segment urethral strictures. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 27 patients who underwent graft urethroplasty for long-segment urethral strictures in Peking University First Hospital, spanning from May 2010 to September 2023. The patient cohort comprised 14 individuals who received OM grafts and 13 who underwent ADM grafts. The participants were stratified into two groups based on the type of grafts material utilized during surgery. The demographic and clinical baseline characteristics included an average age of (43.3±14.0) years in the OM group and (54.2±15.9) years in the ADM group. The mean body mass index (BMI) for the respective groups were (24.7±4.3) kg/m² for OM and (25.4±4.8) kg/m² for ADM. Etiological differences were noted, with idiopathic causes predominantly in the OM cohort and lichen sclerosus in the ADM cohort. RESULTS: The surgical interventions were successfully executed for all the patients. The median stricture length was 4.5 (2.5, 9.0) cm for the OM group and 5.0 (2.0, 14.0) cm for the ADM group (P=0.555). The median operative duration was 160 (71, 221) min for the OM group and 134 (112, 274) min for the ADM group (P=0.065). The catheterization durations was 1.5 (1.0, 6.0) months for the OM group and 3.0 (1.0, 3.0) months for the ADM group. The median postoperative follow-up duration was 12.5 (1.0, 170.0) months for the OM group and 59.0 (3.0, 142.0) months for the ADM group. The surgical success rates were 50.00% in the OM group and 53.85% in the ADM group. No statistically significant differences were observed in postoperative quality of life (QoL) or international prostate symptom score (IPSS) at the final follow-up. The stricture-free survival rates did not differ significantly (HR=0.875, 95%CI: 0.507-1.511, P=0.6). In terms of safety, three patients in the OM group experienced sexual dysfunction, and two had oral complications, whereas the ADM group had one case of postoperative infection. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that ADM grafts are comparable to OM grafts in terms of efficacy and safety for the treatment of long-segment urethral strictures, including complex cases attributed to lichen sclerosus. However, given the small sample size of this study, the above conclusions may have certain limitations. Larger cohort studies will be needed in the future to further validate these findings.
Humans ; Urethral Stricture/surgery* ; Acellular Dermis ; Mouth Mucosa/transplantation* ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the surgical methods for treating distal urethral stricture. METHODS: The clinical data of 80 patients with distal urethral stricture in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Captial Medical University between January 2018 and December 2022 were retrospectively collected. Including male genital lichen sclerosus (MGLS) 33 cases, iatrogenic injury 25 cases, postoperative hypospadias 12 cases, and other causes such as trauma 10 cases. Among these cases, strictures involved the urethral meatus in 54 instances, of which 38 were treated with meatotomy (MO), 7 with penile skin flap urethroplasty (PSFU), and 9 with oral mucosa graft urethroplasty (OMGU). There were also 26 instances where strictures involved both the navicular fossa and meatus; one case underwent PSFU while 25 underwent OMGU. Based on different surgical methods used for treatment purposes we divided the patients into MO group, PSFU group and OMGU group. The age of the three groups was (48.8±20.0) years, (53.3±21.8) years and (44.5±16.4) years. The mean±SD body mass index (BMI) was (28.6±3.9) kg/m², (29.6±3.2) kg/m² and (29.2±4.8) kg/m². The preoperative maximum flow rate was (5.8±2.3) mL/s, (6.8±2.4) mL/s and (5.7±3.1) mL/s. RESULTS: All the operations were successfully completed without Clavien Ⅲ or Ⅳ complications. The median length of strictures (measured intraoperatively) in the three groups were 1.1 (1.0, 1.6), 1.5 (1.1, 2.0) and 4.0 (2.5, 5.0) cm. The median operation time was 60.0 (60.0, 75.0), 85.0 (75.0, 112.5) and 180.0 (75.0, 330.0) min. The median estimated blood loss was 5.0 (2.0, 10.0), 15.0 (5.0, 42.5) and 180.0 (135.0, 216.3) mL. The median postoperative hospital stay was 3.5 (2.0, 5.0), 6.5 (3.5, 7.0) and 7.5 (7.0, 11.3) days. The median follow-up duration was 40.0 (26.3, 57.3), 55.0 (18.8, 62.8) and 52.5 (30.5, 64.0) months. The median postoperative maximum flow rate was 18.3 (15.5, 19.8), 19.2 (16.1, 20.1) and 17.2 (14.2, 19.6) mL/s. Among the 38 patients with MO, 33 cases had normal urination without reintervention, and 5 cases experienced recurrent strictures and required regular urethral dilation. Among the 8 patients with PSFU, 7 cases had normal urination without reintervention, and one case developed a urinary fistula, for which intervention was recommended but the patient opted to maintain the status quo. Among the 34 patients with OMGU, 28 cases had normal urination without reintervention. There were 6 instances of stenosis recurrence, with 5 cases requiring regular urethral dilations and one case requiring reconstructive surgery. The overall success rate of operation was 85.0%, and the reintervention rate was 15.0%. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in etiologies among the three groups (P=0.002), as well as in stricture locations (P < 0.001), length of strictures (P < 0.001), operation time (P < 0.001), estimated blood loss (P < 0.001) and postoperative hospital stays (P < 0.001). However, no significant differences were observed in terms of age, BMI, history of previous urethral stricture surgeries, preoperative maximum flow rate, follow-up duration, postoperative maximum flow rate and reintervention rate. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses indicated that a history of previous urethral stricture surgeries was a risk factor for postoperative reintervention (P=0.026). CONCLUSION MO and PSFU are primarily suitable for treating short-segment (≤1.5 cm) distal penile urethral strictures, whereas OMGU is more appropriate for longer segment strictures. MO and OMGU can both be utilized in managing MGLS cases. PSFU and OMGU are more conducive to improving the appearance of the urethral meatus. The success rate of surgical management of distal penile urethral stricture is 85.0%, 15.0% of the patients still require surgical intervention after surgery, and having history of previous urethral stricture surgeries is a risk factor for postoperative reintervention.
Humans ; Urethral Stricture/surgery* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Urethra/surgery* ; Surgical Flaps ; Penis/surgery* ; Mouth Mucosa ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus/surgery* ; Operative Time ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Aged

OBJECTIVES: The conventional Fr26 resectoscope is difficult to use in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) complicated by urethral stricture. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transurethral plasmakinetic resection of the prostate (PKRP) using a small-caliber (Fr18.5) plasmakinetic resectoscope combined with urethral dilation in patients with BPH and mild urethral stricture. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 37 patients with BPH and mild urethral stricture treated at the Department of Urology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2023 to December 2023. All patients underwent PKRP with a small-caliber plasmakinetic resectoscope, followed by routine placement of a Fr20 three-way Foley catheter for continuous bladder irrigation. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximum urinary flow rate (Q_max), post-voiding residual urine volume (PVR), and Quality of Life (QOL) scores were compared before and after surgery. Perioperative indicators (intraoperative bleeding, operative time, postoperative catheterization time, and postoperative hospital stay) and complications were recorded. RESULTS: The median age was 69 years, and the median duration of voiding difficulty was 36 months. Median total prostate specific antigen (T-PSA) was 2.095 ng/mL, free prostate specific antigen (F-PSA) 0.561 ng/mL, and F/T ratio 0.3. Median prostate diameter was 48 mm and volume 41 mL. All 37 surgeries were completed successfully: 11 had external meatal stricture, 19 had mild anterior urethral stricture, and 7 had mild posterior urethral stricture (1 patient with a 1 cm pseudo-blind tract near the membranous urethral). Operative time was (2.4±0.7) hours, blood loss was (40±29) mL, median catheterization duration was 7 days, and median hospital stay was 7 days. No cases of postoperative urinary incontinence, recurrent hematuria, or sepsis occurred, and patients were satisfied with the surgical outcome. At 3 to 6 months follow-up, IPSS, Q_max, PVR, and QOL scores significantly improved compared to preoperative levels (all P<0.01), with no cases of urethral stricture progression or new-onset stricture. CONCLUSIONS PKRP using a small-caliber plasmakinetic resectoscope is safe and effective for treating BPH with mild urethral stricture. It offers advantages such as minimal trauma, rapid postoperative recovery, and a lower risk recovery, and a lower risk of aggravating urethral injury.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/complications* ; Urethral Stricture/complications* ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate/instrumentation* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Quality of Life ; Aged, 80 and over

Long-segment lichen sclerosus (LS) urethral stricture is a challenge for urologists. Limited data are available for surgeons to make a surgical decision between Kulkarni and Asopa urethroplasty. In this retrospective study, we investigated the outcomes of these two procedures in patients with LS urethral stricture. Between January 2015 and December 2020, 77 patients with LS urethral stricture underwent Kulkarni and Asopa procedures for urethroplasty in the Department of Urology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (Shanghai, China). Of the 77 patients, 42 (54.5%) underwent the Asopa procedure and 35 (45.5%) underwent the Kulkarni procedure. The overall complication rate was 34.2% in the Kulkarni group and 19.0% in the Asopa group, and no difference was observed ( P = 0.105). Among the complications, no statistical difference was observed in the incidence of urethral stricture recurrence ( P = 0.724) or glans dehiscence ( P = 0.246) except for postoperative meatus stenosis ( P = 0.020). However, the recurrence-free survival rate between the two procedures was significantly different ( P = 0.016). Cox survival analysis showed that antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy use ( P = 0.020), diabetes ( P = 0.003), current/former smoking ( P = 0.019), coronary heart disease ( P < 0.001), and stricture length ( P = 0.028) may lead to a higher hazard ratio of complications. Even so, these two techniques can still provide acceptable results with their own advantages in the surgical treatment of LS urethral strictures. The surgical alternative should be considered comprehensively according to the patient characteristics and surgeon preferences. Moreover, our results showed that antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy use, diabetes, coronary heart disease, current/former smoking, and stricture length may be contributing factors of complications. Therefore, patients with LS are advised to undergo early interventions for better therapeutic effects.
Male ; Humans ; Urethral Stricture/etiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Constriction, Pathologic/surgery* ; Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods* ; China ; Urethra/surgery* ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Mouth Mucosa ; Diabetes Mellitus/etiology* ; Anticoagulants ; Coronary Disease

Rats ; Animals ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction/pathology* ; Survivin/genetics* ; Urinary Bladder/pathology* ; Fibrosis

This study aimed to investigate the curative effect of spiral embedded flap urethroplasty for the treatment of meatal stenosis after penile carcinoma surgery. From January 2015 to January 2021, we used our technique to treat strictures of the external urethral orifice in seven patients, including four cases of meatal stenosis after partial penile resection and three cases of meatal stenosis after perineal stoma. All patients had previously undergone repeat urethral dilatation. The patients underwent spiral embedded flap urethroplasty to enlarge the outer urethral opening. The patients' mean age at the time of surgery was 60 (range: 42-71) years, the mean operative time was 43 min, and the median follow-up period was 18 months. The patients voided well post-operatively, and urinary peak flow rates ranged from 18.3 ml s^-1 to 30.4 ml s^-1. All patients were successful with absence of urethral meatus stricture. The present study showed that using spiral embedded flap urethroplasty to treat meatal stenosis after penile carcinoma surgery is an effective surgical technique with good long-term outcomes.
Male ; Humans ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods* ; Penile Neoplasms/surgery* ; Constriction, Pathologic/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Urethral Stricture/surgery* ; Urethra/surgery* ; Amputation, Surgical ; Carcinoma/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies

Male ; Humans ; Penile Neoplasms/surgery* ; Constriction, Pathologic/surgery* ; Urethral Stricture/surgery* ; Surgical Flaps/surgery* ; Amputation, Surgical ; Penis/surgery* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures ; Hypospadias/surgery*

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and genetic mutations in Kindler syndrome(KS)and provide a theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of KS. Methods The clinical data of one case of KS from Peking Union Medical College Hospital and 185 cases reported in literature were collected. The gene mutation types,patient clinical data,and tumor characteristics were statistically analyzed. Results A total of 186 cases were enrolled,including 110 males and 76 females,with the mean age of(28±16)years. The data of gene mutation and specific clinical manifestations were available in 151 and 94 patients,respectively. The main clinical manifestations of KS included poikiloderma,occurrence of blister in childhood,and photosensitivity,and the secondary clinical manifestations included oral inflammation,palmoplantar keratoderma,webbing/pseudoainhum,dysphagia,urethral stricture and so on.Oral inflammation(r=0.234,P=0.023),palmoplantar keratoderma(r=0.325,P=0.001),webbing/pseudoainhum(r=0.247,P=0.016),dysphagia(r=0.333,P=0.001),urethral stricture(r=0.280,P=0.006)were significantly correlated with age,showing significantly higher incidence in the patients over 32 years old.Urethral stricture(χ²=11.292,P=0.001)and anal stenosis(χ²=4.014,P=0.045)were significantly correlated with sex,with higher incidence in males.Eighty different mutations were found in 151 patients,and the most common gene mutation was c.676C>T.Forty-one tumors occurred in 27 patients,among which squamous cell carcinoma accounted for 92.7%. The gene mutation site had no significant correlation with squamous cell carcinoma or patient country. Conclusions The c.676C>T in FERMT1 gene is the most common mutation in KS.The patients are prone to squamous cell carcinoma and mainly attacked at the exposure sites(hand and mouth).
Adolescent ; Adult ; Ainhum ; Blister ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Child ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Deglutition Disorders/complications* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar/complications* ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; Mutation ; Neoplasm Proteins/genetics* ; Periodontal Diseases ; Photosensitivity Disorders ; Urethral Stricture/complications* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of pirfenidone for reducing urethral stricture following urethral injury in rats and explore the possible mechanism. METHODS: Thirty male SD rats were randomly assigned into negative control group, positive control group and pirfenidone group (n=10). In pirfenidone and positive control groups, the rats were subjected to incision of the posterior urethral cavernous body followed by daily intraperitoneal injection of pirfenidone (100 mg/kg) and an equivalent volume of solvent, respectively. The rats in the negative control group were given intraperitoneal injections of solvent without urethral injury. At two weeks after modeling, retrograde urethrography was performed for observing urethral stricture, and the injured urethral tissues were harvested for HE staining, Masson staining, immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting for detecting the protein expressions of α-SMA and TGF-β1. The mRNA expressions of the inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β were detected using qRT-PCR. RESULTS: The body weight of the rats in pirfenidone group was significantly decreased compared with that in the other two groups (P < 0.05). Retrograde urethrography showed significant narrowing of the urethra in the positive control group but not in the pirfenidone group. HE staining of the injured urethral tissues showed obvious proliferation of urethral epithelial cells with narrow urethral cavity and increased inflammatory cells in positive control group. The pathological findings of the urethra were similar between pirfenidone group and the negative control group. Masson staining revealed obviously reduced collagen fibers and regular arrangement of the fibers in pirfenidone group as compared to the positive control group. Compared with those in the negative control group, the expressions of α-SMA and TGF-β1 were significantly increased in the positive control group, and pirfenidone treatment significantly inhibited their expressions (P < 0.05 or 0.01). Pirfenidone also significantly inhibited the mRNA expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the injured urethral tissue (P < 0.05 or 0.01). CONCLUSION Pirfenidone can prevent urethral fibrosis and stricture after urethral injury possibly by inhibiting the TGF-β1 pathway and inflammatory response.
Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Male ; Pyridones/pharmacology* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solvents ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Urethral Stricture/pathology*