Objective To review the study on adi pose derived stem cells (ADSCs) in the therapy of urological diseases. Methods The recent l iterature concerning ADSCs in bladder repair, urethral reconstruction, incontinence treatment, and erectile dysfunction treatment was reviewed. Results The appl ication of tissue engineering using ADSCs has made significant achievements in the treatment of urological diseases and in animal studies, and has been initially used in cl inicaland has achieved a good therapeutic effect. Conclusion Tissue engineering using ADSCs has good prospects in the study on urological diseases, and is expected to widely used in the treatment of urological diseases.
Objective To investigate the effect of scrotal septum vascular pedicle flap with two wing-l ike spl itthickness skin graft in reconstructing urethra in patients with hypospadias and in reducing the compl ications. Methods From January 2007 to March 2008, 30 cases of hypospadias were treated, with a median age of 10 years (2-20 years). There were 13 cases of proximal shaft type, 12 cases of penoscrotal type and 5 cases of scrotal type. There were 8 cases with operation history. The flap size ranged from 4.0 cm × 0.8 cm to 9.0 cm × 1.0 cm and 5 mm with two wing-l ike spl it-thickness skin graft.When the downward curvature corrected, length of the flap could be determined by the length of the urethra that neededto be reconstructed. Results All flaps survived. The incision healed by first intention in all patients except one whose incision healed after change dressing because of frequent erection. Incision at donor site healed well. Eighteen patients were followed up for 6-12 months, including 8 with second operation history. The reconstructed urethras were unobstructed and no urethrostenosis or urinary fistula happened. Conclusion This is an improved technique of the scrotal septum flap in urethra reconstruction. It takes advantages of both flap and spl it-thickness skin graft in reconstructing urethra and avoides the disadvantages of a single tissue. It is a good choice for treating hypospadias whose urinary meatus locates neighborly to penoscrotal junctional zone.
Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of pedicled scrotal septal flap urethroplasty on longsegment posterior urethral stricture and to assess its appl ication value. Methods From January 2003 to December 2007, 24 patients (age range, 6-54 years old) with long-segment urethral stricture underwent pedicled scrotal septal flap urethroplasty.The duration of the disease was 1-5 years. The stricture was caused by traumatic urethral injury or disruption in 22 cases,postoperative compl ication of suprapubic transvesical prostatectomy in 1 case, and recurrent urethral infection due to long-term indwell ing urinary catheter in 1 case. Urethroscopy or cystourethrography examination confirmed that all cases had urethral stricture 2.0-5.5 cm in length. Eleven cases were compl icated with urethral false passage, 6 with urethral fistula, 2 with intestinal fistula, and 6 with erectile dysfunction. The result of excretion urography of bilateral upper urinary tracts was negative in all cases. Pedicled scrotal septal flap 2.5 cm × 2.0 cm-6.5 cm × 2.5 cm in size was harvested during operation, and urethroplasty was performed. Results Volume of blood loss during operation was 100-500 mL (average 270 mL). The operative time was 90-220 minutes (average 135 minutes). All flaps survived. All wounds healed by first intention. All patients had normal urination after operation. Over the follow-up period of 12-36 months (average 18.6 months), 1 of the 24 patients suffered from urinary incontinence, 2 from urethral stricture, 1 from urethral stricture and urethral fistula, and 1 from urethral diverticulum around the distal anastomosis. Those patients got normal urination after symptomatic treatment. No urethral stone, urinary incontinence, and new case of erectile dysfunction occurred. The maximum urinary flow rate 16 months after operation was 14-21 mL/s (average 17.6 mL/s). Voiding cystourethrography 22 months after operation showed unblocked urinary tract and no formation of stricture and fistula. Conclusion Pedicled scrotal septal flap urethroplasty, featured by simple operative method, easy flap harvest, and high survival rate of flap, is one of safe and effective methods for treating long-segment posterior urethral stricture.