Buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty in the treatment of urethral strictures: a prospective study

Background: Anterior urethral strictures develop due to a process of fibrosis and cicatrix formation of the urethral mucosa and the surrounding tissues. Its surgical management is a challenging problem, and has changed dramatically in the past several decades. Open surgical repair using grafts has become the gold standard procedure for anterior urethral strictures that are not amenable to excision and primary anastomosis. Oral mucosa harvested from the inner cheek (buccal mucosa) is an ideal material, and is most commonly used for substitution urethroplasty. Objective of current study was to establish the efficacy of the buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty by different onlay techniques in anterior urethral strictures.Methods: The study was a prospective study, done between August 2009 and December 2011. 25 cases of long anterior urethral strictures were managed by onlay urethroplasty by different techniques. Follow up ranged from 8-20 months.Results: 3 patients lost follow up after first visit. Post operative uroflowmetry was done in all patients after 1 month at the time of first follow up visit. Of 25 cases 21 (84%) were successful and 4 (16%) failed.Conclusions: In our study we have found that buccal mucosal graft can be safely used for substitution urethroplasty in all long anterior urethral strictures including cases with balanitis xerotic obliterance. It was very efficient in terms of less graft shrinkage or contracture as it is a full thickness graft.

Radiographic and Histomorphometric Evaluation of Biomaterials Used for Lateral Sinus Augmentation: A Systematic Review on the Effect of Residual Bone Height and Vertical Graft Size on New Bone Formation and Graft Shrinkage

The aim of the present systematic review was to investigate the effect of residual bone height (RBH) and vertical bone gain on new bone formation (NBF) and graft shrinkage after lateral sinus lifts using different biomaterials. Methods: An electronic search was conducted on three databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until January 2021 with at least one follow-up at 6 months and at least five patients treated, comparing biomaterials used for maxillary sinus augmentation with a lateral approach. Graft volumetric changes, RBH, vertical bone gain, implant failure, and post-operative complications were evaluated. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Results: We used 4010 identified studies, of which 21 were RCTs. Overall, 412 patients and 533 sinuses were evaluated. Only three publications had an overall low risk of bias. After 6 months, xenograft (XG) showed the least volume reduction (7.30 ± 15.49%), while autogenous graft (AU) was the most reabsorbed (41.71 ± 12.63%). NBF appeared to not be directly correlated with RBH; on the contrary, the overall linear regression analysis showed that NBF significantly decreased by 1.6% for each mm of postoperative vertical graft gain. This finding suggests that the greater the augmentation, the lower the NBF. A similar tendency, with a regression coefficient even higher than the overall one, was also observed with alloplast (AP) and XG. Conclusions: The present results suggested that NBF was essentially independent of preoperative bone height. On the contrary, the smaller the volume was of the graft placed, the higher the amount of new bone formed, and the smaller the graft shrinkage was. Minimizing the augmentation volume might be beneficial to graft healing and stability especially when using AP and XG.

Sutureless and Glue-free Conjunctival Autograft in Pterygium Surgery: A Case Series

Foreign materials used in ocular surface surgery may lead to local complications such as discomfort, scarring, or infection. Plasma-derived products such as fibrin glue may produce possible hypersensitivity reactions whereas the risk of viral transmission remains. We describe a simple method of achieving conjunctival autograft adherence during pterygium surgery avoiding potential complications associated with the use of fibrin glue or sutures. Pterygium excision with limbal conjunctival autografting without using glue or sutures was performed in all the patients followed by bandaging for 24 hours. The patients were followed up post operatively on 2nd day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 month and 6 months. They were examined for haemorrhage, wound gape, graft shrinkage, chemosis, graft dehiscence, recurrence or any other complications. Total 100 cases were included in this case series. Patient age in ranged from 23 to 78 years (mean 50. 08 ± 12.76 years). Surgical Time was (in Minutes) from 20-28; mean & SD 23.76 ± 1.89. Total graft dehiscence occurred in 1 eye (1%), graft retraction in 12 eyes (12%) and recurrence was seen in 1 eye (1%). At 3 month postoperatively, the gain in uncorrected visual acuity ranged from 2-3 line in Snellen chart in 13 eyes. No other complication was noted. This simple technique for pterygium surgery may prevent potential adverse reactions encountered with the use of foreign materials and in this case series provided safe and comparable results to current methods. TAJ 2019; 32(2): 56-61

One-stage Vertical Ridge Augmentation and Dental Implantation with Allograft Bonerings: Results 1 Year After Surgery

The aim of this study was to analyze the success rate of dental implants and the graft shrinkage rate after vertical ridge augmentation and simultaneous implantation with an allograft bonering. Fifty-one patients (81 augmentations and simultaneous implantations) were included. The bonering technique followed a standardized protocol. The alveolar ridge was prepared using a congruent trephine, and depending on the defect size, an allograft bonering with an outer diameter of 6–7 mm was placed. The height of the bonering was trimmed with a diamond disc to the required length. The average height of vertical augmentation was 5.5 mm. Implants were inserted through the bonering into the native bone of alveolar ridge. After 6 months, dental implants were exposed, and dental prosthetics were placed. Of 81 implants placed with the bonering technique, two failed during a 12-month follow-up, corresponding to a success rate of 97.5%. One year after surgery, the allograft bonering exhibited an average vertical graft shrinkage rate of 8.6%. In conclusion, the allograft bonering technique was associated with a favorable outcome, and in cases with large vertical defects, both treatment time and donor site morbidity could be reduced.

Primary nasal pterygium excision with sutureless and glue-free technique of conjunctival autograft

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and complication of sutureless and glue-free conjunctival autograft for the management of primary pterygium over a period of one year. Methods: Prospective, interventional, hospital-based study. Twenty-four eyes of 24 patients with primary nasal pterygium were graded, and excision was performed by a single surgeon. To prevent recurrence, a free conjunctival autograft was taken from the superior quadrant from the same eye and the bare sclera was covered without the use of sutures or fibrin glue, allowing natural autologous coagulum of the recipient bed to act as a bioadhesive. The eye was patched for 24 hours. Postoperatively, patients were put on topical eye drops (polymixin 0.5%, neomycin 0.5%, and dexamethasone 1%) four times daily for four weeks, and oral antibiotics and methyl prednisolone 3x4 mg per day for 5 days. Patients were followed up postoperatively on day 1, 1 week, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. They were examined for haemorrhage, wound gape, graft shrinkage, granuloma, graft dehiscence, recurrence, or any other complication. Results: The mean age of the patients was 56.96 ± 11.51 years (range 35-81 years). There were 18 females (75%) and 6 males (25%). The following complications were noted: granuloma in three eyes (12.5 %), overriding graft onto the cornea in three eyes (4.17%), and recurrence in one eye (4.17%). No other complications were noted. Average surgical time was 16 ± 2 minutes. Conclusion: Sutureless and glue-free limbal conjunctival autografting is a treatment modality for primary nasal pterygium with no additional cost and has only one recurrence case in 24 cases.