Urethra reconstruction
The urethra is the tube that brings urine from your bladder outside your body. The most common cause for a urethra reconstruction is scar tissue inside the urethra. Surgery may include:
- Using a piece of tissue as a patch to increase the size of the urethra
- Removing piece of the urethra and sewing the ends together
- Replacing the urethra with a skin graft. This requires a second surgery to form the graft into a tube.
Ureter reconstruction
The ureter is a tube that moves urine from the kidneys to the bladder - there is one on each side of the body. If your ureter is damaged, such as during pelvic surgery or from cancer, you may need surgery to repair it. Surgery may include:
- Putting stents in the ureter to help open a blockage
- Moving the ureter to enter the bladder in a new location
- Stretching the ureter and moving the bladder up to bridge the gap when part of the ureter is removed
- Removing short sections throughout the ureter
- Connecting the two ureters so the healthy one can take over
- Using a small part of the small bowel to replace longer parts of the ureter
Renal reconstruction
If your kidneys are damaged by an injury or illness, your doctor may be able to remove damaged tissue and leave the healthy tissue. This is called a renal reconstruction.