Scientists have successfully developed new urethras developed from patients own cells. The cells of the patients were taken from the urethral tissues which were separated into muscle and epithelial cells, grown up in culture, and then seeded on the interior and exterior, respectively, of a biodegradable mesh tube to act as a scaffold. The tissue-engineered urethras appear similar to the original urethral tissue.

The tissue-engineered urethras would be helpful for the people who have complex urethral problems and faces difficulty in urinating. These people also suffer from repeated infections, discomfort, and blood in the urine.

The new urethras were given to five boys who had posterior urethral damage and were developed by the scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston Salem, N. C.

The technique showed 100% success in treating posterior urethral damage but experts says that new technique must be required to repair the damage of anterior region of the organ.

The results of the study were positive but Karl-Dietrich Sievert, MD, of Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston Salem, N. C says that all of the boys were aged between 10 and 14 and the results might differ in adult population.