Hypospadias Patients Research Articles

Ano-Scrotal Distance (ASD) : Is it a marker for the severity of chordee?

To evaluate the relation between ASD and the severity of chordee and hypospadias in a referral center. The distance between the anal verge and proximal scrotal edge (ASD) was measured in hypospadias patients between 6 and 18 months between 2016 and 2020 in the operating room under anaesthesia. Patients older than 36 months and younger than 6 months were excluded. The patients were classified according to meatus into: Grade I (glandular or chordee without hypospadias), II (distal), III (proximal) and IV (perineal). Chordee was assessed by erection test and classified into 2 groups; Group I: no chordee or mild chordee <30 and Group II: with severe chordee >30. Short ASD was defined as ≤ 2.0cm. 817 boys were included. The patients were classified according to the hypospadias grades I (180pt), II (415pt), III (120pt) and IV (102pt). The median ASD for group I was 3.07cm (range 1.0-5.5), for group II 3.10cm (range 1.5-5.0), for group III 2.40cm (range 1.5-54.5) and for group IV 2.10cm (range 1.0-3.5). The average ASD of the patients in Grade III and IV (2.26cm) was significantly shorter than the average ASD of the patients in Grade I and II (3.09cm) (p<0.05). 184 patients had an ASD ≤2.0cm. 38% of patients with glanular hypospadias (grade I) with ASD≤2.0cm had severe chordee. This study shows that short ASD is a helpful marker of the severity of chordee and hypospadias. Patients with glanular hypospadias and short ASD have 38% chance of having severe chordee.

Outcomes of islanded scrotal raphe flap employment for skin shortage in complicated hypospadias repair

Ventral skin deficiency in complicated hypospadias is a difficult problem to treat. The aim of our study is to report our technique and outcomes of vascularized islanded scrotal raphe flap for ventral skin deficiency in complicated hypospadias. A retrospective review was conducted at Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre, Peshawar, from January 2012 to January 2019. Complicated hypospadias patients who underwent two-stage surgery employing islanded scrotal flap were identified. Patients underwent surgery in two stages: scar tissue removal, chordee correction and buccal mucosal graft in the first stage; neourethral tubularization, water proofing, and skin coverage with vascularized islanded scrotal raphe flap in the second stage. The primary outcome was 6-month flap survival rate. Secondary outcomes were 6-month complication rate (fistula, persistent chordee, distal stenosis) and end-of-follow-up patient self-reported satisfaction rate. A total of 1845 patients underwent hypospadias surgery, of which 380 patients had complications. Scrotal raphe flap was used in 45 patients. Mean age was 14.09 (±8.02) years. Mean follow-up was 29.78 (±12.18) months. Mean number of previous surgeries was 4.31 (±2.59). The flap survived in all cases. Nine patients (20%) developed complications. One patient (2.2%) developed distal stenosis. Eight patients (17.8%) developed fistulas, one of whom additionally had persistent chordee. Five fistulas closed spontaneously within 3 months, while the rest were repaired surgically after 6 months. All patients self-reported satisfaction with results at end-of-follow-up. Islanded Scrotal Raphé flap is a promising option for treating complicated hypospadias when there is significant ventral deficiency of skin, as it not only provides vascularized pliable skin but also fascia as a waterproofing layer.

V40 - Penis and glans reconstruction with buccal mucosa graft in a multi-operated, failed hypospadias repair

Introduction & Objectives: Hypospadias surgery represents a complex field within the domain of the reconstructive urologist. 1 Today, it is known 2 failed hypospadias repair comprises an even more challenging problem that requires the mastering of multiple different techniques in order to that more severe grades of hypospadias are associated with a higher failure rate after primary intervention. Therefore, restoration of a penis after 3 using buccal mucosa grafts in patients with failed hypospadias repair. This video demonstrates the different steps of our technique. Materials & Methods: A 21-year-old male patient who has previously undergone over 40 failed surgeries to correct for penoscrotal hypospadias was referred to our department for penis and glans restoration. His past surgical history included 41 failed hypospadias surgeries elsewhere. As the patient is able to have sexual intercourse with residual sensate glans tissue, a complete phallic reconstruction was not considered. Furthermore, we created a retrospective database of all patients who underwent penis and glans reconstruction after multiple failed attempts of hypospadias repair. Results: A prepubic Z-plasty is performed to allow dorsal lengthening of the penile shaft. The remaining glans tissue is circumcised to retain maximal genital sensitivity. Scar tissue surrounding the penile shaft is removed, the suspensory ligament is incised and the cavernosal bodies are dissected to further gain penile length. All prepubic and penoscrotal subcutaneous fibrosis in the is resected to gain skin elasticity. The proximal penile shaft is covered with skin while the most distal aspect is covered with two buccal mucosa grafts of each 6 x 2.5cm to reconstruct an aesthetic glans. Between November 2014 and June 2020, 6 adult patients underwent reconstruction with buccal graft mucosa. All patients had undergone multiple (>15) surgeries before being referred to our centre. The initial condition was hypospadias in 1 patient, partial penile amputation for carcinoma in 3 patients, and glans amputation after circumcision accident in 2 patients. More information about previous surgeries could not be retrieved. All patients were pleased with the aesthetic result and reported satisfying sexual functioning at six months after surgery. Conclusions: Penile and glans restoration after failed hypospadias surgery remains a great challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. Buccal mucosa grafts have an established function in urethral repair. They also form a valid option for glans reconstruction in failed hypospadias patients.

The association between caudal block and urethroplasty complications of distal tubularized incised plate repair: experience from a South China National Children's Medical Center.

BackgroundThe effect of caudal block (CB) on the incidence of urethroplasty complications in hypospadias repair remains controversial. The evidence is conflicting, and some confounding bias issues need to be addressed. We sought to study a more homogenous group of distal hypospadias patients undergoing primary tubularized incised plate (TIP) repair by a senior pediatric urology surgeon in the past 2 years to examine the relationship between urethroplasty complications and the use of CB.MethodsWe reviewed our database to identify consecutive patients who had undergone hypospadias repairs by a senior director surgeon at our Center between January 2018 and November 2020. To be eligible to participate in the study, patients had to meet the following inclusion criteria: (I) have distal hypospadias; (II) have undergone a primary TIP repair; and (III) have attended follow-up appointments for a minimum period of 6 months. The primary outcome was the development of urethroplasty complications during the follow-up period. The principal variable of interest was whether or not CB was used perioperatively. The patients were categorized into a CB group (general anesthesia combined with CB) or a control group (general anesthesia only). Other potential risk factors were analyzed, including patient age at operation, patient weight, glans width, and the length of the urethral plate defect.ResultsThirty (12.2%) of the distal patients developed postoperative surgical complications. The postoperative surgical complication rates were similar between the different anesthesia groups. Weight, the length of the urethral plate length, and glans width did not contribute to the risk. Age was the only independent risk factor for postoperative surgical complications, and the complication rates increased in older patients.ConclusionsOur data from consecutive TIP repairs in distal hypospadias patients indicated no association between the use of CB anesthesia and the postoperative urethroplasty complication rate. Patients who were older in age when they underwent surgery had a higher risk of complications.

Complete occlusive dressing for hypospadias in children

Background: Dressing after hypospadias repair is particularly important to provide adequate pressure, hemostasis and prevent edema. Ideal dressing remains a challenge and multiple methods of dressings after hypospadias repair have been reported. Not many types of dressings are described in children and it varies from places and institutes. Present study describes the method of application of complete occlusive dressing in the children undergoing hypospadias repair.Methods: It is a prospective analysis of the operated patients of hypospadias who were offered complete occlusive dressing of the penis following surgery in a tertiary teaching hospital. The outcome was assessed on the basis of cosmetic and functional appearance after removal of the dressing namely, edema, ischemia, fistula formation if anyResults: A total of 100 patients were operated during the study period of two years. The age ranged from 1 year to 16 years. All patients were provided complete occlusive dressing of the penis following surgery (urethroplasty). The patients tolerated the dressing very well with minimal postoperative edema with good functional and cosmetic outcome. There were some minor complications associated with this type of dressing.Conclusions: The complete occlusive dressing in the hypospadias surgery is an alternative type of dressing in children after hypospadias surgery. The dressing is easily available, and the method can be easily learned and reproduced. There is no need for repeated changes or pain on removal, the patients are comfortable with the dressing and it keeps them mobile. It is helpful in reducing the postoperative edema and subsequent complications.

Risk Factors of Urethro-cutaneous Fistula Development in Hypospadias Surgery

Urethrocutaneous fistula development is the most common complication found hypospadias surgery. Several factors associated with the incidence of fistulas are the age at the time the surgery. The type of hypospadias, the degree of chordae, the operative technique applied and catheter type. This study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with the urethro-cutaneous fistula development in hypospadias surgery. The results showed that from 310 hypospadias patients undergoing urethroplasty, urethra cutaneous fistula development occurred among 105 patients (30.6%) with a mean age of surgery 10.89+6.27 years. Hypospadias type has a significant difference with the incidence of urethro-cutaneous fistula development (p = 0.027). Age (p = 0.615), degree of chordae (P=0.805), operative technique (P=0.901) and catheter type (P=691) do not have a significant impact to urethro-cutaneous fistula development. It can be concluded that operative urethroplasty has a risk of urethra-cutaneous fistula that associated with hypospadias type.

C-Fos is upregulated in the genital tubercle of DEHP-induced hypospadiac rats and the prepuce of patients with hypospadias

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the expression of Fos proto-oncogene, AP-1 transcription factor subunit (c-Fos) in the genital tubercle (GT) of rats with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)-induced hypospadias and in the prepuce of patients with hypospadias compared with unaffected controls. Pregnant rats were given 750 mg/kg/day DEHP orally from gestational days 12–19. Western blotting showed that c-Fos expression was increased in DEHP-induced hypospadiac male offspring. In addition, 30 prepuce tissue specimens obtained during hypospadias repair surgery were divided into 2 groups: the mild hypospadias group (n = 15) and the severe hypospadias group (n = 15). Fifteen normal prepuce tissue specimens were harvested during elective circumcision as normal controls. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and immunohistochemistry analyses were used to assess c-Fos expression. c-Fos protein levels were higher in the GT of DEHP-induced rats than in that of control rats. c-Fos mRNA and protein levels were also higher in the hypospadias groups than in the control group (p < 0.05, p < 0.001), and c-Fos protein levels were significantly higher in the severe hypospadias group than in the mild hypospadias group (p < 0.01). The expression of c-Fos was increased in both the GT of DEHP-induced hypospadiac rats and the prepuce of hypospadias patients. Thus, c-Fos overexpression might contribute to hypospadias. Abbreviations: DEHP: di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; c-Fos: Fos proto-oncogene, AP-1 transcription factor subunit; Mafb: the masculinization-regulatory gene v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene family, protein B; GT: genital tubercle; ED: embryonic day; AGD: anogenital distance; AGI: anogenital distance index; ED: embryonic day.

The hypospadias-specific health-related quality of life conceptual framework: a scoping review of the literature.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important yet understudied construct for individuals with hypospadias (HS). An important barrier towards understanding HRQoL and integrating it into research and clinical care for people with HS is the absence of an underlying conceptual framework to illustrate this construct. We propose a conceptual framework for HS-specific HRQoL based upon a scoping review of the HS literature. We conducted a literature review of articles published between 1989 and 2019. Our search in Embase and Pubmed used the keyword "hypospadias" in combination with "quality of life" and "patient-reported outcomes." We used thematic analysis of the resulting publications to identify core HRQOL domains. From these results and review of HRQoL literature in other pediatric populations, we developed a conceptual framework representing HS-specific HRQoL. We identified five domains of HRQOL previously studied in research with youth and adults with HS: penile appearance, voiding, social interaction, sexual health, and psychological or behavioral function. We propose a model of HS-specific HRQoL comprised of these domains and their areas of overlap, based upon the findings and conceptual mapping of our literature review. This novel conceptual framework provides a foundation for understanding disease-specific HRQoL in individuals with HS and may serve as a guide for the conduct of future qualitative studies of the HS population. The overlapping biopsychosocial domains illustrate the possible effects of HS on day-to-day life. This framework may guide future surgical, clinical, and behavioral interventions that aim to improve medical care and quality of life outcomes for HS patients.

Polymorphism of PvuII, Xba1, and SNP 12 Estrogen Receptor 1 (ESR1) in Hipospadias Patients at Tertiary Hospital Center.

IntroductionThe prevalence of hypospadias ranges between 1: 250 to 300 per live birth. Estrogen exposure has been associated with the increasing incidence of hypospadias in humans and a significant relationship between Estrogen Receptor 1 (ESR1) polymorphisms and hypospadias was determined from the previous study. This study aims to determine the proportion of ESR1 polymorphism.MethodsThis was a descriptive study aimed to find the incidence of ESR1 gene polymorphism in hypospadias patients visiting the Urology Outpatient Unit of the Hasan Sadikin Bandung Hospital who will undergo hypospadias surgery. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was performed using foreskin of hypospadias patient during the surgery then being extracted and will be analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing.ResultsThirty eight samples of hypospadias were identified, 5 samples were unable to sequence and 33 samples were successfully sequenced using the PCR method. The Pvull ESR1 gene was dominated by the T allele which is a wild-type allele and the genotype containing the T allele, namely TT + TC (57,2%). Normal genotype (TT) were more frequent in distal hypospadias, and Heterozygous polymorphisms (TC) was higher in proximal hypospadias. The ESR1 Xba1 gene polymorphism was dominated by the A allele which is a wild-type allele and the AA + AG genotype (76,1%). Normal genotype (AA) was more frequent in distal hypospadias, and both heterozygous hypospadias (AG) and homozygous hypospadias (GG) were found only in proximal hypospadias. The ESR1 SNP 12 gene polymorphisms were found in the combination of genotypes that played a role, namely GA + AA (81%) and the G allele which is a wild-type allele. Heterozygous polymorphisms (GA) was the most finding genotype and more frequent in proximal hypospadias.ConclusionESR1 gene polymorphisms (PvuII, XbaI, and SNP 12) were found in hypospadias patients. ESR1 polymorphisms may correlate with the severity of hypospadias. Further research with a larger sample and better hypospadias grouping is needed to confirm.

A useful tip for preventing surgical site infections after hypospadias repair. A single surgeon's experience of 376 cases.

Purpose:We report the efficacy of pre- and post-operative showering for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) and urethrocutaneous fistula after hypospadias surgery.Materials and Methods:In 2006, standardised pre- and postoperative showering was introduced for hypospadias patients. Showering involves washing the genitals and groin 2 h preoperatively as well as immediately after the removal of a stent postoperatively. Data from 520 procedures performed on 376 hypospadias patients by a single surgeon from 1996 to 2015 were collected prospectively. The shower (S) group comprised 258 patients (372 procedures) and the nonshower group comprised 118 patients (148 procedures). Management protocols were identical for two groups.Results:Patient demographics were similar. SSIs were significantly less in the S group (0% vs. 2.0%; P < 0.05). The incidence of fistulas was lower in the S group (2.0% vs. 6.3%). The mean duration of follow-up was significantly shorter in the S group (3.6 vs. 12.8 years; P < 0.05) but longer than the mean time taken for complications to develop (0.4 years).Conclusions:Our results suggest that pre- and post-operative showering may contribute to preventing SSIs and fistulas in hypospadias patients.

The Hypospadias, Chordee, Orthoplasty and The Prepucial Hood

1.1. Purpose: Making the surgeons aware of the significance of penile chordee, need of optimal straightening of penile shaft (orthoplasty) and appropriate use of well-developed prepucial hood for re-construction of an ideal neo-urethral plate and a near normal neo-urethra by its tubularization and finally re-enforcement of the neo-urethra by prepucial dartos fascial flap to minimize post-operative morbidities. 1.2. Aims and Objectives: Exact assessment of characteristics of chordee by artificial erection of penis, achieving acceptable orthoplasty before commencing upon final neo-urethroplasty and making maximum use of prepucial hood skin in (i) formation of neo-urethral plate and to have an ideal near normal non-hairy and resistance free neo-urethra and or (ii) designing and harvesting various types of skin and or water proofing flaps because of its axial vascularity. 1.3. Material and Methods: Material related to the penile chordee, orthoplasty and appropriate utilization of prepucial hood was collected from the photographic record of hypospadias patients who attended “Hypospadias and VVFs Clinic” between 2004- 2016. Based upon the characteristics of penile shaft and its chordee, various surgical techniques used for acceptable correction of the chordee (orthoplasty) were circum-coronal degloving of penile shaft up to its root, excision of chordee, Dorsal Tunica Albuginea Plication (DTAP), Double Dorsal Tunica Albuginea Plication (DDTAP), Ventral Tunica Albuginea Plication (VTAP), Inner Prepucial Full Thickness Skin Graft (IPFTSG), outer Prepucial Full Thickness Skin Graft (OPFTSG), Dermal Graft (DG), Tunica Vag inalis Graft (TVG) and Tunica Vaginalis Flap (TVF). Accidental breach in Tunica Albuginea (TA) was identified and repaired in water tight fashion. Special care was taken to prevent injury to Dorsal Neuro-Vascular Bundle (DNVB). Hypospadiacs with Bala- clinicsofsurgery.com 2 nitis Xerotica Obliterans (BXO) were excluded from study. 1.4. Observations: Neo-urethroplasty in an uncorrected chordee is deemed to be associated with subsequent anatomical, functional and aesthetic problems, thereby warranting re-do orthoplasty and neo-urethroplasty including total dismantling of the previous surgical repair. The presence of fully developed prepucial hood proved to be a boon to the surgeon in repairing both the fresh as well as re-do cases of neo-urethroplasty and also in harvesting water-proofing flaps to decrease post-operative morbidities. Presence of Undescended Testis (UDT), Inguinal Hernia (IH) and Ano-Rectal Malformation (ARM) are to be corrected on priority.

Evaluation of Ventral Dartos Fascia Flap as a Covering Layer in TIP (Tubularized Incised Plate) Repair for Distal Hypospadias Patients [Snodgrass Technique

Hypospadias is one of the most frequent congenital urological anomalies. Reports have suggested that the prevalence of hypospadias varies across different races, being highest among Caucasians, less in Hispanics, and least in blacks usually it occurring in 1–3 per 1,000 live births .The different degrees of hypospadias require different technique; which carry different complication rates and different prognoses. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome and efficiency of Ventral Dartos Fascia Flap as a covering layer in TIP [Tubularized Incised Plate] Repair for Distal Hypospadias Patients. Twenty-three patients with distal hypospadias was involved in this study. The Snodgrass technique was done to them using ventral Dartos fascia flap as a covering layer in this surgery.the risk of the fistula is about 4.3 %, and the cosmetic appearance was so acceptable in 22 patient out of 23 which is very convincing result from this simple technique. Glans dehiscence hadn’t occur, Meatal stenosis hadn’t occur, Skin infection occurred in one patient because he neglect the post-operative follow up visits and bad hygiene so the wound was moisture and infected, Edema , Inflammation and Encrustations. Urethral Stricture wasn’t reported in this study. Twisting of the penis is not reported in this study. TIP repair is a good procedure with no more complications than other procedures used in hypospadias surgery which can achieve both results, restore good function and normal appearance to the penis.

A Proteomics Signature of Mild Hypospadias: A Pilot Study.

Background and Objective: Mild hypospadias is a birth congenital condition characterized by the relocation of the male urethral meatus from its typical anatomical position near the tip of the glans penis, to a lower ventral position up to the brim of the glans corona, which can also be accompanied by foreskin ventral deficiency. For the most part, a limited number of cases have known etiology. We have followed a high-throughput proteomics approach to study the proteome in mild hypospadias patients.Methods: Foreskin samples from patients with mild hypospadias were collected during urethroplasty, while control samples were collected during elective circumcision (n = 5/group). A high-throughput, quantitative proteomics approach based on multiplexed peptide stable isotope labeling (SIL) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis was used to ascertain protein abundance changes in hypospadias patients when compared to control samples.Results: A total of 4,815 proteins were quantitated (2,522 with at least two unique peptides). One hundred and thirty-three proteins from patients with mild hypospadias showed significant abundance changes with respect to control samples, where 38 proteins were increased, and 95 proteins were decreased. Unbiased functional biological analysis revealed that both mitochondrial energy production and apoptotic signaling pathways were enriched in mild hypospadias.Conclusions: This first comprehensive proteomics characterization of mild hypospadias shows molecular changes associated with essential cellular processes related to energy production and apoptosis. Further evaluation of the proteome may expand the search of novel candidates in the etiology of mild hypospadias and could also lead to the identification of biomarkers for this congenital urogenital condition.

Etiology of Hypospadias: A Comparative Review of Genetic Factors and Developmental Processes Between Human and Animal Models.

Hypospadias is a congenital anomaly of the penis with an occurrence of approximately 1 in 200 boys, but the etiology of the majority of hypospadias has remained unknown. Numerous genes have been reported as having variants in hypospadias patients, and many studies on genetic deletion of key genes in mouse genital development have also been published. Until now, no comparative analysis in the genes related literature has been reported. The basic knowledge of penile development and hypospadias is mainly obtained from animal model studies. Understanding of the differences and similarities between human and animal models is crucial for studies of hypospadias. In this review, mutations and polymorphisms of hypospadias-related genes have been compared between humans and mice, and differential genotype–phenotype relationships of certain genes between humans and mice have been discussed using the data available in PubMed and MGI online databases, and our analysis only revealed mutations in seven out of 43 human hypospadias related genes which have been reported to show similar phenotypes in mutant mice. The differences and similarities in the processes of penile development and hypospadias malformation among human and commonly used animal models suggest that the guinea pig may be a good model to study the mechanism of human penile development and etiology of hypospadias.

The impact of COL1A1 and COL6A1 expression on hypospadias and penile curvature severity

BackgroundHypospadias, the most frequent congenital male external genitalia abnormality, is usually associated with curvature of the ventral penis, i.e. chordee. Abnormality of darto tissue has been suggested as the pathophysiology of chordees. Collagen is one of the most abundant fibrous proteins within the extracellular matrix. In this study, we determined the expression of collagen 1 (COL1A1) and COL6A1 in patients with hypospadias and associated them with the severity of penile curvature.MethodsWe included 60 children < 18 years old, consisting of 20 distal hypospadias, 20 proximal hypospadias patients, and 20 controls in our institution from 2017 – 2020. The expression of COL1A1 and COL6A1 in darto tissue was determined by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The penile curvature severity was classified as mild (< 30 degrees), moderate (30–60 degrees), and severe (> 60 degrees).ResultsqPCR showed that COL1A1 and COL6A1 expression was significantly downregulated in the distal (0.88 (0.38–2.53) and 0.54 (0.16–4.35), respectively) and proximal 0.76 (0.33–2.57) and 0.57 (0.18–1.38), respectively) hypospadias groups compared to controls (1.85 (0.24–4.61) and 0.93 (0.17–4.06), respectively) with p-values of 0.024 and 0.018, respectively. Furthermore, there was a moderate correlation between COL1A1 and COL6A1 expression (r = 0.458, p < 0.0001). Interestingly, COL1A1 and COL6A1 were also significantly downregulated in the moderate and severe chordee groups compared to the mild chordee groups, with p-values of 0.003 and 0.037, respectively.ConclusionsAberrant COL1A1 and COL6A1 expression might affect abnormalities in darto tissue and penile curvature severity in hypospadias patients.

The involvement of hsa_circ_0000417 in the development of hypospadias by regulating AR

BackgroundCongenital hypospadias is a common congenital malformation of the urinary system in male children. However, the role of circRNA in congenital hypospadias remains unknown. MethodsDifferentially expressed circRNAs and mRNAs were identified by RNA sequencing. GO and KEEG analysis were performed to uncover the key function and pathways. The interaction networks were constructed and analyzed by competing endogenous (ce)RNA analysis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expressions of androgen receptor (AR) and hsa_circ_0000417 in normal and hypospadias tissues. Further, the correlation between hsa_circ_0000417 and other clinical indicators were calculated. ResultsCompared with normal foreskin tissues, 1329 circRNAs and 978 mRNAs were significantly upregulated, 3176 circRNAs and 614 mRNAs were significantly downregulated in hypospadias tissues, respectively. MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways play important roles in congenital hypospadias. The expression of AR and hsa_circ_0000417 in 68 hypospadias tissues was significantly lower than that in 68 normal foreskin tissues (P < 0.05). The expression of the AR, as analyzed using IHC, was consistent with the qPCR results. A significant correlation was noted between the expression of AR and hsa_circ_0000417 in 68 clinical samples (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression level of hsa_circ_0000417 was associated with the incidence of other diseases and the location of the hypospadias site (P < 0.05). Expression of hsa_circ_0000417 was significantly downregulated in hypospadias patients without other diseases (P < 0.05). ConclusionHsa_circ_0000417 may regulate the expression of AR, and the expression of hsa_circ_0000417 in normal foreskin tissues is associated with the occurrence of hypospadias.

&lt;p&gt;Comparison of Outcome and Success Rate of Onlay Island Flap and Dorsal Inlay Graft in Hypospadias Reconstruction: A Prospective Study&lt;/p&gt;

BackgroundChordee correction, urethroplasty, and tissue reconstruction are performed to correct and retain standard functionality of the penis in hypospadias. Conventional reconstruction techniques, such as onlay island flap and the dorsal inlay graft, can be performed based on the classification of hypospadias. However, the outcomes and complication rates have not been widely studied. Thus, we aimed to provide preliminary evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of both approaches in hypospadias reconstruction.Patients and MethodsA prospective study with two time evaluations of 14 and 180 days post-operatively was performed at the Urology outpatient clinic from October 2014 to September 2019. A proportion comparison of success rate, time to the complication, operation time, catheterization duration, uroflowmetry parameter post-surgery, and mean scores comparison of PPPS were measured as the intended outcomes.ResultsIn a total of 59 pediatric hypospadias, patients who had undergone reconstruction are included in this study. Higher subjects’ age and severe chordee severity were more common in the dorsal inlay graft group (age=7.50 [1–26] months; severe chordee 45.8%) compared to the onlay island flap group (age=4.0 [1–67] months; severe chordee 31.4%), both groups showed similar satisfaction regarding meatal shape and position (P=0.618), glands shape (P=0.324), penile skin shape (P=0.489), and general cosmetic appearance (P=0.526). Complication occurrence and time to complication duration of both groups were also not statistically significant (P=0.464 and P=0.413). There are no significant differences in Qmax, Qmean, voided volume, and PVR of both groups (P=0.125, 0.136, 0.076, 0.260, respectively). Significant differences in operation times and catheterization duration are found in this study (P<0001).ConclusionOutcome evaluation regarding functional, complication and patient satisfaction comparing onlay flap and dorsal inlay graft for hypospadias patients is scarce. This study found that both procedures can be considered safe with comparable incidence of complications.

User testing of a hypospadias decision aid prototype at a pediatric medical conference

Based on our previous qualitative work, we created a web-based decision aid (DA) prototype to facilitate shared decision-making regarding hypospadias. The objective of this study was to obtain rapid feedback on the prototype as part of an iterative, human-centered design process. We conducted this study at a statewide, pediatric educational conference in May 2019, recruiting attendees by verbal/written announcements. The DA consisted of: hypospadias overview and surgery "storyboard," frequently asked questions, parent testimonials, and a values clarification exercise. Participants viewed the DA on a tablet as they participated in semi-structured, qualitative interviews covering website acceptability, usability, and preference for surgical photographs versus illustrations. Three coders used qualitative content analysis to identify themes and resolved disagreements by consensus. Of 295 conference attendees, all 50 who approached us agreed to participate. Responses from 49 participants were available for analysis: 67% female, ages 20-69, 65% Caucasian, 55% MDs. 96% of participants thought the website design matched its purpose; 59.1% preferred surgical illustrations, 8.2% preferred photos, 30.6% preferred both and 2.0% did not like either. Participants recommended improvements in: a) usability/accessibility (e.g. site navigation, visual layout, page length), b) content coverage (e.g. epidemiology, consequences of no/delayed surgery, lifelong risks), c) parent-centeredness (e.g. reading level/writing style) and d) implementation (provider tools, printable handouts). The Extended Summary Figureshows a revised image of the first step of a hypospadias repair based on feedback about participants' preferences for illustrations rather than photographs. The main strength of our study was the valuable feedback we obtained to inform critical revisions of the DA prototype. We also demonstrated the feasibility and efficacy of a conducting a usability evaluation of a web-based DA in a medical conference setting. One limitation of this study is that the relatively small population sampled limits generalizability and our findings may not reflect the views of all providers who care for hypospadias patients. The vast majority of providers thought that the design of the Hypospadias Homepage matched its purpose and most preferred surgical illustrations rather than photos to demonstrate the steps of hypospadias surgery. Based on their feedback, we plan to focus our efforts in the following areas: 1) improvement of navigation/menus, 2) reduction in the amount of text per page, 3) expansion of specific content coverage and 4) inclusion of "parent-friendly" visuals such as infographics to represent quantitative data and colorful illustrations to depict hypospadias and its surgical repair.

User-centered development of a hypospadias decision aid prototype

Many parents who choose hypospadias repair for their sons experience decisional conflict (DC) and decisional regret (DR). We previously found that parental decision-making about hypospadias surgery is a complex process characterized by cyclic information-seeking to alleviate anxiety and confusion. The objective of this study was to engage parents of hypospadias patients and pediatric providers in the co-design of a decision aid (DA) prototype to facilitate shared decision-making about hypospadias surgery and address DC and DR. From August 2018 to January 2019, we conducted three co-design workshops with parents of hypospadias patients, pediatric urology and general pediatric providers to discuss their recommendations for a DA prototype. Activities were audio recorded and professionally transcribed. Transcripts and worksheets were analyzed by six coders using qualitative analysis to identify key aspects of a hypospadias DA desired by stakeholders. We conducted a collaborative design and prototyping session to establish key features and requirements, created a content map visualizing this work, and then developed a DA prototype. Parent participants included 6 mothers and 4 fathers: 8 Caucasian, 2 African-American; median age 31 years. Providers included pediatric urology (n=7) and general pediatric providers (n=10): median age 47.5 years, 83.3% Caucasian, 58.3% male, 58.3% MD's and 41.7% nurse practitioners. Participants created user-friendly, interactive DA prototypes with "24/7" availability that had three key functions: 1) provide accurate, customizable, educational content, 2) connect parents with each other, and 3) engage them in a decision-making activity. The prototype consisted of five modules (Extended Summary Figure). "Hypospadias Basics" includes epidemiology and a hypospadias severity scale. "Surgery Basics" includes goals, illustrated steps, and pros/cons of surgery. "Testimonials" includes videos of parents and adolescents discussing their experiences. "Help me Decide" includes a decisional conflict scale and a decision-making activity (i.e. values clarification method). "Frequently Asked Questions" covers general hypospadias information, perioperative expectations and a review of postoperative care. To our knowledge, this is the first DA prototype developed for a pediatric urology condition using a human-centered design approach to engage many key stakeholders in the development process. One limitation of this study is the small population sampled, which limits generalizability and means that our findings may not reflect the views of all parents or pediatric providers involved in hypospadias decision-making. We created a parent-centered hypospadias DA prototype that provides decision support in an online, interactive format. Future directions include further testing with usability experts, providers and parents.

Single-stage urethroplasty: An eight-year single-centre experience and its associated factors for urethrocutaneous fistula

Introduction: This study aimed to describe single-stage urethroplasty and to determine factors associated with urethrocutaneous fistula after the procedure at our institution. Methods: All hypospadias patients without any prior surgery who underwent single-stage urethroplasty from July 2010 to January 2018 were included. In total, 179 patients were followed for at least one year postoperatively. Information on types of hypospadias, operation techniques, chordee degree, preoperative pyuria (urine white blood cell count &gt;5/HPF), urethral defect length and urethrocutaneous fistula formation was collected. Results: We obtained 103 cases of posterior (57.5%), middle (57 cases) and anterior (19 cases) hypospadias on whom onlay preputial island flap (71 cases), tubularized incised plate (46 cases) and Duckett’s transverse preputial island flap (35 cases) were conducted. After 47.1±25.8 months of follow-up, urethrocutaneous fistula were found in 23 (12.8%) patients associated with posterior hypospadias occurrence ( p=0.025), longer urethral defect ( p=0.007) and preoperative pyuria ( p&lt;0.001). Chordee degree ( p=0.886) and age ( p=0.187) were not significant factors associated with urethrocutaneous fistula formation. Conclusion: Single-stage urethroplasty is a versatile procedure for various hypospadias cases, with a urethrocutaneous fistula rate of 12.8%. Posterior hypospadias, preoperative pyuria and longer urethral defect were associated with urethrocutaneous fistula formation. Level of evidence Level 2B.