To Compare the Outcomes of Dartos Flap and Tunica Vaginalis Flap as Secondary Cover after Second Stage Durham Smith Repair in Reducing Post-Operative Complications

Abstract

Background: Interposition flaps are mainstay in the success of hypospadias surgery because they lead to decrease in complications of hypospadias repair significantly especially urethrocutaneous fistula by buttressing the neo urethral suture line. Many interposition flaps have been tried with varying outcome results. Most commonly used interposition flaps are Tunica vaginalis flap and dorsal dartos flap however, recently interest have also researched in Durham smith de-epithelialized dartos based overlay flap. Though there are many publications comparing outcome of dorsal dartos and tunica vaginalis flap but hardly any study that has compared all three interposition flaps. So, we aimed to compare the outcomes of dorsal dartos flap (DF), tunica vaginalis flap (TVF) and Durham smith de-epithelialized dartos based overlay flap as interposition layer in TIP urethroplasty. Aim: To compare the outcomes of dorsal dartos flap (DF), tunica vaginalis flap (TVF) and Durham smith de-epithelialized dartos based flap as secondary interposition cover after Tubularized incised plate urethroplastyin reducing post-operative complication. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in which case records of 78 patients who had undergone repair for distal and midpenile hypospadias with minimal chordee and favorable anatomy by the Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty with interposition flap over 2 years (2017-2019) were reviewed. Patients were divided in three groups with 26 subjects in each group. Group A consisted of patients with dorsal dartos interposition flap, Group B comprised of patients with Tunica vaginalis interposition flap and Group C consisted of patients with Durham smith deepithelialized dartos based overlay cover. Outcome variables noted were the complications including wound dehiscence, Urethrocutaneous fistula, Meatal stenosis, Penile torsion, skin necrosis and preputial edema. Statistical methods were applied to compare these complications in all three groups. Results: Total number of complications in group A were 11(42.3%) and most common complications were skin necrosis (n=7, 26.9%) and urethrocutaneous fistula (n=6, 23.1%). Total number of complications in group B were 7(26.9%) while Chordee and preputial edema (n=6, 23.1% each) were among the most common complications. 9(34.6%) patients developed complications in group C and most common complications were penile torsion (n=6, 23.1%) and urethrocutaneous fistula (n=4, 15.4%). Conclusion: We have seen in our study that TV flap is a good option as second cover with lesser complications especially in terms of fistula related complications while Durham smith onlay cover found to be equally better option as it showed no skin complications and other complications were almost comparable to TV flap cover.