One-step treatment of proximal hypospadias by the autologous graft of cultured urethral epithelium.

Surgical management of severe proximal hypospadias or long strictures of the posterior urethra is a difficult clinical task. Often, the therapeutic approach involves the autologous graft of free flaps of bladder or oral mucosa. We recently reported the use of autologous graft of cultured squamous urethral epithelium during urethroplasty in patients with severe proximal hypospadias. The main limitation to the widespread use of cultured epithelium was the long hospitalization due to the requirement of 2 surgical steps. We now report a substantial modification of the surgical procedure which allows for rapid 1-step urethroplasty. Cultured squamous urethral epithelium is tubularized in vitro with the aid of a tubular polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) support and 1-step urethroplasty is performed within 30 minutes. Results obtained in 8 patients are presented.