Comprehensive analysis of paediatric pelvic fracture urethral injury: a reconstructive centre experience.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse our experience in pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI) in children and adolescents, with various anastomotic urethroplasties (AUs) used to accomplish tension-free anastomosis described and their surgical outcomes evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 2008 to 2019, 192 cases including both primary and redo PFUI, which comprised 181 boys and 11 girls aged ≤18 years. The results are presented separately according to gender. Moreover, the two populations were divided in two age-related sub-groups for sensitivity analyses: Group 1 (children) aged ≤11 years and Group 2 (adolescent) aged 12-≤18 years. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age at presentation in our series was 14 (9-17) years for boys and 9 (6-10) years for girls. Primary vs redo cases were 85 (47%) vs 96 (53%) in boys and 10/11 vs one of 11 in girls. In the primary male cases (85), the bulbo-membranous junction was the commonest site of injury (63, 74.1%). In boys, transperineal AU (TPAU) was performed in 160 (88.4%) and transpubic urethroplasty (TPU) in 17 (9.4%). In girls, TPU was utilised in nine cases, where two received meatoplasty and vaginal episiotomy. In boys, the overall success rate for TPAU was 81.2% and in primary PFUI cases success for TPAU was 88.3%. Overall success for TPU was 64.7%. In girls, the success rate for TPU was 100%. In boys and girls, the success rates for various AUs utilised between the child and adolescent groups were comparable. The median (IQR) hospital stay was 3 (3-4) days for boys and girls. The median (IQR) follow-up duration was 25 (16-33) months and 20 (17-27) months for boys and girls, respectively. Secondary procedures were performed in 39 boys and one girl, which comprised laser optical internal urethrotomy in 26 (14.4%) boys and redo surgery in 13 (7.2%) boys and one (9.1%) girl. Of all patients, four of the 11 girls and 74 boys (38.5%) were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Most paediatric PFUI can be addressed via a transperineal approach with reasonable long-term outcomes. In challenging cases salvage procedures utilising vascular-based flaps as a urethral substitute give satisfactory results. Even young children can be managed with a high success rate in expert hands and these injuries should be addressed by specialist reconstructive urologists.

Management of Pelvic Fracture Urethral Injury: Is Supracrural Urethral Rerouting (Step 4) Becoming Anecdotical or Does It Remain in Force?

Webster described a step-based perineal approach for repairing the posterior urethra in patients with pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI). The higher the complexity of the step, the higher the morbidity for the patient and the lower the surgical outcomes. We evaluated the outcomes of anastomotic urethroplasty (especially Step 4 or higher) or substitution urethroplasty in patients with PFUI at our center. Between 2013 to 2021, we retrospectively collected data on patients with PFUI. Surgical procedures were categorized according to the Webster classification and rates of each step were reported. The success rate was defined as Qmax above 10 mL/s and no need for further treatment. In this period, 737 male patients with PFUI were surgically treated. Notably, 18.8%, 17.6%, 46%, 1.8%, and 5.6% of included patients received steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the abdominoperineal approach, respectively. In 68 (9.2%) patients, the substitution of urethroplasty with a pedicled preputial tube (PPT) was needed. The success rate was 69.2% in Step 4, 74.4% in the abdominoperineal approach, and 86.4% in PPT; however, recurrence-free survival was not significantly different between groups (p = 0.22). Step 4 perineal anastomotic urethroplasty represents a surgical option in the armamentarium of PFUI treatment. Indications should be carefully reviewed to improve patient selection and avoid surgical failure, stopping at the step which first gives a tension-free anastomosis.

[Minimally invasive stabilization of fragility fractures of the pelvis with transsacral bar and retrograde transpubic screw]. / Minimal-invasive Stabilisierung von Fragilitätsfrakturen des Beckens mittels transsakralem Stab und retrograder transpubischer Schraube.

OBJECTIVE: Stabilization of fragility fractures of the pelvis (FFP) using a minimally invasive technique. Insertion of a transsacral rod into the transsacral corridor of S1. Insertion of a retrograde transpubic screw through the superior branch of the pubic bone. INDICATIONS: Uni- or bilateral displaced fragility fractures of the sacrum or sacroiliac joint. Nondisplaced fractures of the sacrum or sacroiliac joint in case of nonsuccessful conservative treatment. Uni- or bilateral fractures of the superior branch of the pubic bone, which are present in combination with a posterior pelvic instability. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Fragility fractures of the pelvis, which can be successfully treated conservatively. Absence of transsacral corridor in sacral body S1. Major displacement, nonreducible fractures of the superior branch of the pubic bone. Soft tissue infection at insertion site of implants. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: The transsacral bar is inserted under fluoroscopic control from ilium to ilium through the transsacral corridor of the sacral body S1. The retrograde transpubic screw is inserted from the pubic tubercle through the superior branch of the pubic bone past the acetabulum into the body of the ilium. POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT: An early mobilization with weight bearing of both lower extremities as tolerated by the patient is allowed. Conventional radiographs for control of the position of the implants and fractures are taken after mobilization RESULTS: In all, 64 patients with FFP type II, FFP type III or FFP type IV were stabilized with a transacral bar osteosynthesis in the posterior pelvis. In 32 patients (50%), additional sacroiliac screws were inserted. In 29 patients (45.3%) the transsacral bar osteosynthesis was combined with a transpubic retrograde screw. Median length of hospital stay was 17.5 days. In all, 20 patients (31.3%) suffered general, 10 patients (15.6%) suffered surgery-related complications, and 41 patients (64.1%) were mobile in the room or on the ward at discharge. One-year mortality was 10.9%. The values of the SF­8 Physical and Mental Component Scores, Parker Mobility Score and Numeric Rating Scale were moderate, yet comparable with the values of patients of the same age.

Navigation Template Design and the Anatomic Measurement for Anterograde Transpubic Screws.

OBJECTIVE: For pelvic ring fractures, screw fixation became a popular technique for its good biomechanical performance. The safe insertion of anterograde the transpubic screw is important for patients with anterior pelvic ring fractures. This paper is to research the anatomical parameters of the anterograde transpubic screw corridor and evaluate the safety of anterograde transpubic screw placement assisted by the assembled navigation template. METHODS: Fifty subjects with normal pelvic, 25 men and 25 women, age from 20 to 60 were enrolled, and their ilium were 3D reconstructed. The ilium was divided into zone I, zone II and zone III. Zone I and zone III was defined as medial and lateral to the obturator foramen, respectively. Zone II is located between zones I and III. The corridor A is formed by zone I and zone II and corridor B is formed by zone I, zone II and zone III. The diameter and length of the inner circle, the distance from the center of the inner circle to the posterior superior and to the inferior iliac spine of corridor A and corridor B were measured, respectively. Nine patients with pelvic fractures underwent anterograde transpubic screw and transverse sacroiliac screw placement assisted by the assembled navigation template and were retrospectively analyzed. Operation time, blood loss, incision length and fluoroscopy times were recorded. Grading score and Matta score were evaluated after surgery. RESULTS: In the 50 subjects, the diameter of corridor A was 11.16 ± 2.13 mm, and that of corridor B was 8.54 ± 1.52 mm. The length of corridor A was 86.39 ± 9.35 mm, and that of corridor B was 117.05 ± 5.91 mm. The surface distance from the screw entry point to the posterior superior iliac spine in corridor A was 109.31 ± 11.06 mm, and that in corridor B was 127.86 ± 8.23 mm. The surface distance from the screw entry point to the posterior inferior iliac spine in corridor A was 91.16 ± 10.34 mm, and that in corridor B was 106.92 ± 7.91 mm. A total of 18 sacroiliac transverse screws and 11 anterograde transpubic screws were inserted assisted by assembled navigation templates for nine patients. The average operation time was 108.75 ± 25.71 min, the blood loss was 141.11 ± 50.21 ml, the incision length was 14 ± 4.62 cm, and the intraoperative fluoroscopy was 17.89 ± 4.01 times. CONCLUSION: Transpubic screw corridor can be obtained by 3D reconstruction. For the majority of patients, the anterograde pubic ramus corridor accommodated a 6.5 mm diameter screw. It is safe to use anterograde transpubic screw placement assisted by an assembled navigation template.

Is Anterior Plating Superior to the Bilateral Use of Retrograde Transpubic Screws for Treatment of Straddle Pelvic Ring Fractures? A Biomechanical Investigation.

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the four anterior pubic rami are described as "straddle fractures". The aim of this study was to compare biomechanical anterior plating (group 1) versus the bilateral use of retrograde transpubic screws (group 2). METHODS: A straddle fracture was simulated in 16 artificial pelvises. All specimens were tested under progressively increasing cyclic loading, with monitoring by means of motion tracking. RESULTS: Axial stiffness did not differ significantly between the groups, p = 0.88. Fracture displacement after 1000-4000 cycles was not significantly different between the groups, p ≥ 0.38; however, after 5000 cycles it was significantly less in the retrograde transpubic screw group compared to the anterior plating group, p = 0.04. No significantly different flexural rotations were detected between the groups, p ≥ 0.32. Moreover, no significant differences were detected between the groups with respect to their cycles to failure and failure loads, p = 0.14. CONCLUSION: The results of this biomechanical study reveal less fracture displacement in the retrograde transpubic screw group after long-term testing with no further significant difference between anterior plating and bilateral use of retrograde transpubic screws. While the open approach using anterior plating allows for better visualization of the fracture site and open reduction, the use of bilateral retrograde transpubic screws, splinting the fracture, presents a minimally invasive and biomechanically stable technique.

Biomechanical Comparison of Five Fixation Techniques for Unstable Fragility Fractures of the Pelvic Ring.

BACKGROUND: Incidence of pelvic ring fractures has increased over the past four decades, especially after low-impact trauma-classified as fragility fractures of the pelvis (FFP). To date, there is a lack of biomechanical evidence for the superiority of one existing fixation techniques over another. An FFP type IIc was simulated in 50 artificial pelvises, assigned to 5 study groups: Sacroiliac (SI) screw, SI screw plus supra-acetabular external fixator, SI screw plus plate, SI screw plus retrograde transpubic screw, or S1/S2 ala-ilium screws. The specimens were tested under progressively increasing cyclic loading. Axial stiffness and cycles to failure were analysed. Displacement at the fracture sites was evaluated, having been continuously captured via motion tracking. RESULTS: Fixation with SI screw plus plate and SI screw plus retrograde transpubic screw led to higher stability than the other tested techniques. The S1/S2 ala-ilium screws were more stable than the SI screw or the SI screw plus external fixator. CONCLUSIONS: In cases with displaced fractures, open reduction and plate fixation provides the highest stability, whereas in cases where minimally invasive techniques are applicable, a retrograde transpubic screw or S1/S2 ala-ilium screws can be considered as successful alternative treatment options.

The combined perineo-abdominal transpubic urethroplasty.

Research pertaining to transpubic urethral surgery is described. The operative technique of the perineo-abdominal transpubic approach for pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI) is reported in detail. Under all circumstances the operation should be started by a perineal exposure and liberal circumferential mobilisation of the bulbar urethra. The operation proceeds to an abdominal exposure only when a tension-free urethral anastomosis cannot be made from the perineal approach. An omental wrap of the urethral anastomosis is mandatory to guard against the surrounding fibrosis and callus formation. The operation might be indicated for PFUI with a long urethral gap when the urethral anastomosis cannot be made from the perineal approach, and in complex PFUI associated with an intra-abdominal complication. The combined perineo-abdominal transpubic procedure provides a wide and excellent exposure for an easy and neat bulboprostatic urethral anastomosis. Success rates are usually 98-100% and are sustained in the long term.

Our experience, technique and long-term outcomes in the management of posterior urethral strictures.

PURPOSE: To share our experience, technique and long-term outcomes in posterior urethral stricture management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven boys with post-traumatic posterior urethral stricture underwent resection and end-to-end anastomosis through pre-anal coronal approach or in combination with trans-pubic approach from January 2000 to December 2011. Follow up included symptomatic evaluation by micturating cystourethrogram and retrograde urethrogram in all patients, and urethroscopy in patients with voiding symptoms. RESULTS: Pre-anal coronal approach was used in 29 (78%) cases and in 8 (21%) cases it was combined with trans-pubic approach. In 33 (89.1%) patients it was first attempt, while in 4 (10.9%) it was redo surgery. Two patients required buccal mucosal graft to bridge the deficient urethra. Patient age was 5-17 years (mean 10.8 years). Mean follow up was 48.5 months (range 6-132 months). Thirty-two (86%) patients were symptom free. Failed repairs were successfully managed by urethral dilation in 3 and by redo urethroplasty in the remaining 2. All patients were continent. There was no chordee, penile shortening or urethral diverticula. CONCLUSIONS: Resection and end-to-end anastomosis of posterior urethral stricture is possible through pre-anal coronal incision; however, if slightest difficulty is envisaged in creating a satisfactory end-to-end anastomosis, extension to trans-pubic approach should be done.