ADVANCEMENTS IN TREATMENT AND CLINICAL SUCCESS FOR URETHRAL STRICTURE DISEASE CAUSED BY SCLEROATROPHIC LICHEN: EXPLORING NEW APPROACHES

Introduction. Modern reconstructive and reconstructive surgery for treating urethral strictures in men has evolved significantly over the years with the addition of various advanced techniques. However, when it comes to treating urethral strictures caused by lichen planus, there is a need for a unified approach in selecting the appropriate buccal urethroplasty technique. Aim. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the modified buccal urethroplasty method in treating urethral stricture disease (ULD) caused by scleroatrophic lichen (SAL). Materials and Methods. A prospective comparative study was conducted, involving 50 patients who underwent different methods of surgical correction for urethral stricture disease between 2005 and 2021. The basic group (n=25) included patients who underwent modified buccal urethroplasty, while the comparison group (n=25) underwent conventional buccal urethroplasty. Results. The modified method of buccal urethroplasty resulted in a 1.8 times decrease in the incidence of complications, such as urethral stricture recurrences, incompetence of sutures, fistulas, urethral hair growth, and urethral sclerosing, when compared to the standard methods of surgery. Conclusion. The clinical effectiveness of the modified buccal urethroplasty method may be attributed to the rich vascular network of the buccal mucosa, which promotes good engraftment of the flap and its structural similarity to the urethral tissues. This study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate surgical techniques for treating urethral strictures caused by scleroatrophic lichen to improve clinical outcomes and decrease the incidence of complications.