Bioengineered Scaffolds as Substitutes for Grafts for Urethra Reconstruction

Urethral defects originating from congenital malformations, trauma, inflammation or carcinoma still pose a great challenge to modern urology. Recent therapies have failed many times and have not provided the expected results. This negatively affects patients’ quality of life. By combining cells, bioactive molecules, and biomaterials, tissue engineering can provide promising treatment options. This review focused on scaffold systems for urethra reconstruction. We also discussed different technologies, such as electrospinning and 3D bioprinting which provide great possibility for the preparation of a hollow structure with well-defined architecture.

Cells Involved in Urethral Tissue Engineering: Systematic Review

The urethra is part of the lower urinary tract and its main role is urine voiding. Its complex histological structure makes urethral tissue prone to various injuries with complicated healing processes that often lead to scar formation. Urethral stricture disease can affect both men and women. The occurrence of this pathology is more common in men and thus are previous research has been mainly oriented on male urethra reconstruction. However, commonly used surgical techniques show unsatisfactory results because of complications. The new and progressively developing field of tissue engineering offers promising solutions, which could be applied in the urethral regeneration of both men´s and women´s urethras. The presented systematic review article offers an overview of the cells that have been used in urethral tissue engineering so far. Urine-derived stem cells show a great perspective in respect to urethral tissue engineering. They can be easily harvested and are a promising autologous cell source for the needs of tissue engineering techniques. The presented review also shows the importance of mechanical stimuli application on maturating tissue. Sufficient vascularization and elimination of stricture formation present the biggest challenges not only in customary surgical management but also in tissue-engineering approaches.

Urethra Reconstruction with Tissue-Engineering Technology

Urethral stricture is a disease characterized by a pathological narrowing of the urethra. Treatment for this condition often requires surgery using autologous grafts (urethroplasty). It is common practice to use patient’s own tissue like genital and extragenital skin, tunica vaginalis, buccal mucosa as a source of the graft. Alternative and safer approach is to use tissue-engineered graft created in a laboratory using patient’s autologous cells and biocompatible matrix (scaffold). The article presents the up-to-date achievements in lab-created tissue-engineered graft, describes all components needed to build a tissue-engineered structure of the graft for urethroplasty, and summarizes authors’ thoughts on advantages and disadvantages of various approaches to choose both cellular component and the matrix of future construction. The article reviews clinical studies conducted in the field of tissue engineering of the graft material for urethraplasty.

Šlaplės intubavimas endourologiniu būdu po visiško šlaplės plyšimo dėl traumos: klinikinis atvejis

Andrius Gaižauskas, Sergejus Gaižauskas, Juozas StanaitisVilniaus greitosios pagalbos universitetinės ligoninėsBendrosios chirurgijos centro Urologijos skyrius, Šiltnamių g. 29, LT-04130 VilniusEl paštas: [email protected] Įvadas / tikslas Vilniaus mieste didžioji dalis traumų gydoma Greitosios pagalbos universitetinėje ligoninėje. Neretai į priėmimo skyrių atvykstantiems pacientams nustatoma keleto kūno sričių sužalojimai. Šlaplės plyšimas yra reta urogenitalinė trauma. Dažniausiai įvykus šiam sužalojimui diagnozuojama gretutinių organų trauma (dubens kaulų lūžimas, tarpvietės žaizda, tarpvietės sumušimas). Šiuo klinikiniu atveju norime pademonstruoti, kad esant visiškam šlaplės plyšimui ir ūmiam šlapimo susilaikymui galima atkurti šlaplės vientisumą endourologiniu būdu. Klinikinis atvejis Trisdešimt trejų metų statybininkas, kritęs iš trijų metrų aukščio, greitosios medicinos pagalbos brigados atvežtas į Vilniaus greitosios pagalbos universitetinės ligoninės priėmimo skyrių. Reanimacijos palatoje ligoniui diagnozuotas dubens kaulų lūžimas, visiškas šlaplės plyšimas ir ūmus šlapimo susilaikymas. Skubos tvarka atlikta troakarinė epicistostomija. Po dviejų parų ligonis operuotas. Dviem cistoskopais pavyko intubuoti šlaplę ir įkišti silikoninį Foley kateterį. Po 34 parų pašalinus kateterį ligonis šlapinosi pats. Išvados Esant visiškam šlaplės pyšimui be žaizdos ir masyvios hematomos tarpvietėje, rekomenduojama intubuoti šlaplę endourologiniu būdu ir palikti silikoninį kateterį 20 parų. Tai minimaliai invazyvus chirurginis gydymo būdas, sukeliantis mažesnį komplikacijų pavojų ir pagreitinantis paciento sveikimą. Pagrindiniai žodžiai: trauma, šlaplės plyšimas, endourologija Endoscopic recanalisation after accidental complete tear of urethra: case report Andrius Gaižauskas, Sergejus Gaižauskas, Juozas StanaitisDepartment of Urology, Center of General Surgery, Vilnius University Emergency Hospital,Šiltnamių str. 29, LT-04130 Vilnius, LithuaniaE-mail: [email protected] Background / objective Most cases of traumas in the Vilnius city are treated at the Vilnius University Emergency Hospital. At the Emergency Department we often have polytraumas. Urethral injury is not a common pathology. In most cases it is related to pelvic fractures and wounds in the pelvic area. In this case, we‘d like to demonstrate a minimally invasive method of urethra reconstruction. Case report Thirty-three-year-old man fell down from the height of three meters. In the Emergency Department the pelvic fracture, urethral distraction injury and acute urinary retention were diagnosed. Superpubic epicystostomy was performed. Two days later a minimally invasive operation was performed. By using two cystoscopes we made recanalisation of the urethra and installed a silicone 20 Ch catheter for 34 days. After removing the catheter the patient had normal voiding. Conclusion In cases of a complete disruption of the urethra without wound and a massive hematoma in paravesical tissues, we can recanalise the urethra endoscopicaly, leaving a silicone Foley catheter for 20 days. It is a minimally invasive method of treatment with less complications and a shorter hospitalisation period. Key words: trauma, urethral distraction injury, endourology