Urethral surgery masterclass

Today I operated two patients at the University Hospital de La Princesa as invited professor. Both patients carried relatively complex urethral strictures. This problem is relatively unfrequent and it is difficult for a single urologist to acumulate experience enough to be able to operate these patients with confidence and good results. The surgeon must know many different reconstructive techniques and often the decision about the surgical procedure to perform is taken intraoperatively. I was lucky enough to learn with Prof. A. R. Mundy at the Institute of Urology in London. He operated from 4 - 11 cases per week. I worked for him for a full year.

Both strictures today were reconstructed using a buccal mucosa graft. The mucosa, or the inner lining of the cheek is an ideal substitute for reconstructing the urethra, because it is designed for a humid environment (inside the mouth). This Hospital invites me periodically as they want to learn these techniques. This is the fifth surgical session we have celebrated.