Snodgrass urethroplasty for hypospadias repair: A retrospective comparison of two variations of the technique

Abstract

The Snodgrass technique is a widely accepted method for hypospadias repair. In this paper, we compare two methods of performing this technique with respect to postoperative complications and outcome, with emphasis on meatal stenosis, fistula formation, residual chordee and penile torsion. We reviewed the results of 320 cases treated by Snodgrass urethroplasty between March 2007 and February 2012 at the maternity and children’s hospital of Almadinah Almunawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The two methods differed in the extent of urethral plate incision, the type of flap used and the degree of degloving of the penile skin. In group A (115 boys), the urethral incisions and the sagittal deep longitudinal incision were extended from the posterior edge of the hypospadiac meatus to the tip of glans, and the neourethra was covered by a dorsal preputual flap. In group B (205 boys), the urethral incisions and the deep longitudinal incision extended to the mid-glans, and the neourethra was covered by a lateral dartos flap. After tubularization of the urethral plate and a circumferential incision proximal to the coronal sulcus from each edge of the urethral plate, the penile skin was degloved from 1 cm proximal to the hypospadiac meatus in group A and to the penoscrotal junction in group B. The mean age of the children was 1.5 years. Complications occurred in 45 patients (14.1%). A urethrocutaneous fistula occurred in 8 patients (2.5%), with 6 in group A (5.2%) and 2 in group B (0.98%). Ten patients (3.1%) developed meatal stenosis, with 7 in group A and 3 in group B. Penile torsion was recorded postoperatively in 13 patients (total rate, 4.1%), with 9 cases in group A (7.8%) and 4 in group B (2.0%). The differences between the two groups were statistically significant. A shorter urethral plate incision, use of a lateral dartos flap to cover the neourethra and more extensive skin degloving in Snodgrass urethroplasty reduce the rate of complications.