A comparative study to evaluate the effect of double dartos flaps in primary hypospadias repair: no fistula anymore

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the complication rates of the single flap and double flaps versus flapless procedure in the tubularized incised plate urethroplasty. One hundred and seventy-two patients with any type of hypospadias underwent surgical repair by tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty between April 2002 and July 2009 in the two pediatric surgical units. Group 1 (17 patients) underwent hypospadias repair that used the standard TIP urethroplasty. Group 2 (23 patients) had a single dartos flap covering. Group 3 (132 patients) had double dartos flaps covering. Surgeries were performed by one of three surgeons. In group 3, urethrocutaneous fistula was detected in 1 (0.7%) patient, whereas there were 5 (29.4%) and 6 (26%) fistulas in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Penile torsion was noted in 10 (43.5%) and 5 (3.8%) patients in group 2 and 3, respectively. Four of the patients of group 3 had wound dehiscence (3%). Meatal stenosis was seen in 1 (5.8%), 1 (4.3%) and 6 (4.5%) patients in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The additional covering of the neourethra with a second layer dartos flap is an improvement in the TIP urethroplasty, in terms of fistula formation avoidance.