Management of long-term functional sequelae of pelvic fracture urethral injury

Abstract

Pelvic fracture (PF) is a rare emergency which led to pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI) in 1.6% to 25% of cases. Urethral injury assessment requires a thorough analysis of the initial injury history and imaging that combine cysto-urethrography acutely, repeat urethral imaging as well as adjunctive use of MRI in the follow up period. A more complex surgical approach to the delayed reconstruction of PFUI may be predicted by the urethral gap length (cysto-urethrography) or a lower pubo-urethral angle (MRI). Delayed urethroplasty is the treatment of choice, performed once the patient has recovered from other acute injuries, typically at least 3 months post-injury. It consists in men in a bulbo-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty which may require several steps of increasing complexity to allow a tension-free anastomosis: corpora splitting, partial inferior pubectomy, and rarely total pubectomy or urethra rerouting. More complex cases of PFUI repair may be encountered (long gap between the two urethral segments, bulbar necrosis, false passage after failed endoscopic realignment, orthopedic hardware in pubic symphyseal region, pediatric PFUI, failed previous urethroplasty, associated anterior urethral stricture, or recto-urethral fistula) and should be managed in expert centers.Urethral patency is achieved by surgical reconstruction with an overall success rate of 86%. Evaluation of potential associated sequelae including erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence must be anticipated and taken into consideration in the path of rehabilitation.