Refractory Urethral Stricture Management: Indications for Alternative Grafts and Flaps.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Urethral strictures that are refractory to initial management present unique challenges to the reconstructive surgeon. Treatment trends have shifted as new tissue resources are becoming available. There is renewed interest in old methods as skill and technique have improved. We describe the scope of the surgical armamentarium available to develop creative approaches and successful outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS: We discuss techniques to maximize the availability of oral mucosa, harvest and use of rectal mucosa, and developments in tissue engineering. Evolving methods to assess success of repair are also described. Urethral reconstruction for refractory urethral strictures requires proficiency with multiple methods as these strictures often require combining techniques for successful treatment.