Hypospadiac or intact foreskin graft for syndactyly repair

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Syndactyly is one of the most common malformations of the hands and feet. Repair may necessitate the use of a full-thickness skin graft. The prepuce is an excellent choice for grafting because of its lack of hair, elasticity, and degree of thickness. The authors report 4 cases of syndactyly repair using foreskin for grafting. Methods: The authors reviewed 4 cases of syndactyly repaired at Children's Hospital, where foreskin was used for grafting. There was one congenital band syndrome and 3 cases of simple syndactyly. Three patients had a normal prepuce and underwent simultaneous circumcision. One patient presented with coronal hypospadias and underwent simultaneous meatal advancement and glanuloplasty. Results: All patients experienced a satisfactory outcome with no graft loss and no complications. No grafts showed hair, and 3 grafts showed slight relative hyperpigmentation. Excess foreskin was available in all cases of simple syndactyly. Concominant hypospadias repair did not increase the morbidity of the surgery. Conclusion: The intact or hypospadiac foreskin is an excellent choice for a free graft in syndactyly repair when available.