Primary Hypospadias Research Articles

Choosing an ideal vascular cover for Snodgrass repair.

Aim:The aim of this study is to compare tunica vaginalis (TV), dorsal dartos, and ventral dartos flap as a second layer vascular cover during Snodgrass repair.Materials and Methods:Data of 83 patients who underwent primary hypospadias repair with Snodgrass technique (age range: 1.6–12 years) were retrospectively collected and compared. They were divided into three groups. Group A (26 patients) included cases using TV flap, Group B (36 patients) included those where dorsal dartos from prepuce was used as second cover, and Group C (21 patients) included those with ventral dartos as cover.Results:In Group A, no complications recorded. Mild scrotal edema was present in 5 patients which was conservatively managed. In Group B, there were 8 fistulas, 2 glans breakdown, and 1 meatal stenosis. In Group C, there were 3 fistulas and 1 glans breakdown.Conclusion:TV flap is better than dorsal dartos and ventral dartos as vascular cover for primary hypospadias repair with Snodgrass technique.

Tubularized Incised Plate Urethroplasty for Primary Hypospadias Repair: Versatility versus Limitations

Introduction: Several techniques have been described for the repair of hypospadias but without any definitive privilege of one technique over the others. The choice of the repair remains largely dependent on the judgment and personal experience of the operating surgeon.Aim of Study: The aim of this study was to identify the most commonly encountered complications following tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty and their rate of occurrence in relation to different forms of hypospadias.Patients and Methods: This study was conducted on patients with different degrees of hypospadias (ranging from distal penile to scrotal hypospadias) who underwent primary TIP urethroplasty. All included cases were operated by the same surgeon (the author) at two tertiary centers for pediatric surgery during the period 2007 through 2016. Data analysis was performed in a retrospective manner based on retrieved medical records, in addition to saved digital photography documenting the preoperative phenotypic severity of the hypospadiac phallus, operative steps, appearance at follow-up visits, postoperative investigations, and reoperations.Results: We retrieved data of 193 patients with different degrees of hypospadias who underwent a primary TIP urethroplasty during the 10-year period of the study. All cases in the study completed their early postoperative follow-up (at 1 and 4 weeks). Approximately 40% of cases completed more than 1-year follow-up (mean: 2.3 years, median: 2 years). Rate of reoperation was 21.7% (20 cases for fistula, five recurrences of chordee, one meatal stenosis, and 16 skin refashioning and correction of penoscrotal interposition). All cases who returned for reoperation underwent urethral calibration under anesthesia±cystoscopy.Conclusion: TIP urethroplasty is a versatile technique that can be used for the repair of different degrees of hypospadias with low rate of complications. The main limitation is the presence of considerable chordee (moderate or severe) when urethral plate preservation and dorsal penile plication might be a suboptimal way of management that is liable for recurrence of the ventral curvature

Grafted tubularised incised-plate urethroplasty: An objective assessment of outcome with lessons learnt from surgical experience with 263 cases

ObjectiveSnodgrass urethroplasty remains the preferred technique in primary distal hypospadias but development of meatal stenosis often limits distal extension of the midline incision of the urethral plate (MIUP), which remains a limiting factor in reconstructing an apical neomeatus (NM). We here-in assess the cosmetic and functional outcome with distal extension of the MIUP in grafted tubularised incised-plate urethroplasty (G-TIP) repair. Patients and methodsThis prospective study included the surgical experience of 263 cases of primary hypospadias operated upon between 2012 and 2015. The G-TIP technique included standard steps of Snodgrass urethroplasty, including degloving and harvesting of glans wings, followed by MIUP that was extended distally beyond the margins of the urethral plate (UP) into the glans. The incised bed was grafted with a free preputial skin graft and fixed to the bed with polydioxanone 7-0 suture. The UP was tubularised and the suture line reinforced with a Dartos flap. The urethral catheter was removed at 7–10days after the repair and the outcome was assessed at follow-up using the Hypospadias Objective Scoring Evaluation (HOSE) system. ResultsAn apical NM was achieved in 96% of the patients with a 3.7% incidence of urethrocutaneous fistula. The presence of suture tracks and graft at the margins of the NM were seen in the initial 4% and 5% of cases, respectively. Acceptable cosmetic results, with objective HOSE scores of >14, were achieved in 96% of cases. ConclusionThe G-TIP repair is a straightforward and feasible technique facilitating reconstruction of an apical NM, with an optimum outcome based on HOSE scoring. However, multicentre data are needed for undertaking comparative analysis and to assess the universal applicability of this technique in primary hypospadias.

Is the double cross flap technique the panacea for avoiding fistula formation in hypospadias surgery?

Objective The aim of this study was to analyze retrospectively the 9-year experience of a single institution in the use of the double cross flap technique to interpose a double dartos flap to protect the neourethra with the aim of preventing fistula formation. Patients and methods Between October 2005 and September 2014 a total of 127 children with distal and midshaft primary hypospadias underwent tubularized incised plate urethroplasty by means of a double dartos flap obtained with a double cross flap to protect the neourethra. A Foley catheter was left in situ for 7 days. Success was defined as no incidence of complications requiring reintervention, along with good cosmetic result. A questionnaire was administered to estimate parental satisfaction. Parents were asked to evaluate the cosmetic appearance of the penis as good, acceptable, bad, or indifferent. Results The patient age at the time of surgery ranged from 12 months to 10 years (median 39 months). Three patients exhibited fistula at follow-up (2.3%). In two patients a glandular dehiscence of the urethroplasty occurred (1.5%). Mild stenosis of the neomeatus occurred in three patients (2.3%). No penile iatrogenic rotation occurred. A ‘good’ cosmetic result was reported by 68.5% of parents, acceptable by 22.8%, bad by 3.9% and indifferent by 4.7% of parents as per the parental questionnaire. Conclusion The double cross flap technique is not the panacea to prevent fistula formation in hypospadias surgery. Nevertheless, it offers an unquestionable advantage in terms of avoidance of fistula formation. The experience and skills of the surgeon performing urethroplasty remain the mainstay for best results.

Two-stage hypospadias repair with a free graft for severe primary and revision hypospadias: A single surgeon's experience with long-term follow-up

Repair of severe primary and revision hypospadias is a demanding procedure. Debate continues as to whether a two-stage approach or single-stage technique is superior. The two-stage procedure with a free graft involves penile straightening followed by application of a graft for the neourethral plate at stage one; with tubularization at stage two after graft maturation. To report the outcomes of a single surgeon's experience with the two-stage repair using a free graft for both severe primary and revision hypospadias with long-term follow-up. Between July 1998 and January 2010, 301 boys underwent a two-stage reconstruction. The surgical technique is described in the manuscript. Primary repairs (n=208): indications for a two-stage approach with a free graft included meatal position, presence of corporal chordee, and poor glans development. Median follow-up from completion of the second stage was 75 months. Revision repairs (n=93): indications included urethral fistula, excessive scarring/meatal stenosis, balanitis xerotica obliterans (BXO), and residual or untreated chordee. Median follow-up from completion of the second stage was 85 months. For the primary repairs (n=208), the graft took well in all but one case. Second-stage complications included fistula (7), meatal stenosis (3), partial glans dehiscence (3), and all were re-operated (13). For the revision repairs (n=93), the graft took well in all but four cases. Second-stage complications included fistula (5), meatal stenosis (3), breakdown (1) and reoperation (8). In a systematic review of 20 years of publications on the repair of primary severe hypospadias, the two-stage procedure with a free graft demonstrated an overall complication rate of 22%; this was a distinct overall benefit when compared with the single-stage procedures in terms of lower complication rates (Castagnetti and El-Ghoneimi, 2010). Our results for the severe primary repairs revealed significantly lower complication rates than those in the literature, with an overall re-operation rate of 6.3%, a fistula rate of 3.4%, and meatal stenosis and partial glans dehiscence at 1.4% each. Several papers have documented outcomes following the single-stage tubularized incised plate urethroplasty for re-operative hypospadias, giving overall complication rates ranging from 15.4 to 30%. Our data show a re-operative rate of 8.6%, a fistula rate of 5.3%, breakdown in 1.1%, and meatal stenosis in 3.2%. The two-stage repair with a free graft for correction of both severe primary and failed primary hypospadias is a safe, viable, and durable procedure offering low morbidity and excellent cosmetic results. The authors advocate the two-stage repair with a free graft as the technique of choice for treatment of both of these challenging groups of the deformity.

Patient-reported long-term outcome after primary hypospadias repair

Purpose: Long-term evaluation of the surgical outcome after puberty, particularly patient reported outcome is rare in the literature. The aims of this study were to investigation the patients' satisfaction with the long-term results and their views and memories of their childhood surgery and follow-up.Methods: A modified version of previously used questionnaire was sent to 134 patients ages 18 years or older previously primarily repaired due to hypospadias by one of the authors (HS) between 1989 -2009.Results: Thirty-nine patients responded. Eighty-two per cent were satisfied with the appearance of their penis, 87% were satisfied with their ability to urinate and their sexual function and 92% were satisfied with the overall surgical results. Ninety per cent of patients were positive to the current duration of our post-pubertal follow-up program or would have preferred an even longer follow-up.Conclusions: The majority of patients were satisfied with the long-term surgical results and the duration of follow-up. Despite having problems patients does not always contact the health care system spontaneously, which warrants long-term follow-up.

The success of tubularized-incised plate urethroplasty in adults and children.

PurposeHypospadias repair is rarely performed in adults. It is believed that the success rate is lower in adulthood. We aimed to compare the success rate of primary hypospadias repair with tubularized-incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty in adults and children.Patients and methodsThe databases of consecutive boys and adults who were treated with TIP urethroplasty for primary hypospadias between 2012 and 2015 were evaluated. All operations in the boys and adult patients were performed by a single surgeon. We considered urethroplasty complications to include a urethrocutaneous fistula, neourethral stricture, meatal stenosis, diverticulum, and glans dehiscence. Urine flow was also evaluated using uroflowmetry.ResultsSeventy-seven consecutive patients underwent surgery by a single surgeon in the last 3 years for hypospadias repair. Nineteen of these patients were adults. Urethrocutaneous fistulae developed in 2 of the 19 (10.5 %) adults, and 3 of the 58 (5.2 %) boys. In addition, there were urinary tract infections in 2 (3.4 %) children, meatal stenosis in 1 (1.7 %) child, and glans dehiscence in 1 (5.3 %) adult. Uroflowmetry was normal in all patients. There was no difference in outcomes between boys and adults.ConclusionOur data showed that the success rate of hypospadias repair with TIP urethroplasty is similar in adults and children. TIP urethroplasty is associated with good results in adults and boys.

Is glans penis width a risk factor for complications after hypospadias repair?

Recent studies have suggested that a smaller glans penis size may be associated with a higher likelihood of complications after hypospadias repair. Accurate identification of risk factors other than the well-understood variable of meatal location would allow development of better prognostic models and individualized risk stratification. To test the hypothesis that a smaller width of the glans penis predicts adverse outcomes after hypospadias surgery. Prospectively recorded clinical data were reviewed from a single-institution registry of primary hypospadias repairs performed between 2011 and 2014. Follow-up records were examined for occurrence of complications. Urethroplasty complications were defined to include meatal stenosis, dehiscence, urethrocutaneous fistula, urethral stricture, and/or urethral diverticulum. The subset of meatal stenosis and dehiscence were regarded as glanular complications. Regression analyses were performed to determine association between glans width and occurrence of complications. Because pre-operative androgen stimulation is known to increase glans penis size, separate subgroup analyses were included of patients with and without pre-operative use of testosterone cream. A total of 159 patients met criteria for inclusion in the study cohort: 140 patients underwent a single-stage repair, while 19 patients had a two-stage repair. The median glans penis width was 15mm (range 10-22). Eighty-four patients (53%) received testosterone cream pre-operatively and had a significantly wider glans penis than the 75 patients who did not (median 15.5 vs 14mm; P<0.001). Median clinical follow-up was 7 months (IQR 1-12), with a minimum time elapsed since surgery of 10months at the time of chart review. Twenty-four patients (15%) had one or more urethroplasty complications, including 11 (7%) with glanular complications. Overall, there was no statistically significant association between glans width and urethroplasty complications (P=0.26) or glanular complications (P=0.90) (Summary Table). Subgroup analyses of patients with and without pre-operative testosterone also revealed no significant associations between glans width and complications. Glans penis width was not a risk factor for complications after hypospadias repair. This finding differs from the results of other recent studies and encourages further research into the value of measuring penile parameters in patients undergoing hypospadias repair.

Impact of preoperative hormonal stimulation on postoperative complication rates after hypospadias repair: a meta-analysis.

To improve the surgical outcome of hypospadias repair surgery, preoperative hormonal stimulation (PHS) has been proposed. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of preoperative hormonal stimulation (PHS) treatment on complication rates following hypospadias repair surgery. A comprehensive literature search up to June 1st, 2015 was carried out for relevant studies. After literature identification and data extraction, relative ratio (RR) was calculated to compare postoperative complication rates. Heterogeneity among individual studies was tested using the Cochran χ2 Q test and quantified by calculating the I2 index. Meta-regression was applied to find potential affective factors. Overall, 428 patients from 6 studies had undergone primary hypospadias repair, of which 171 (39.95%) received some form of PHS with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or testosterone (T). They underwent three different types of surgical techniques, including onlay island flap (N.=277), tubularized incised plate (N.=99) and Koyanagi urethroplasty (N.=52). These 6 studies classified the complication rates based on PHS. The relative ratio (RR) for a complication occurring following PHS use was 1.18 (95% CI: 0.70-2.00, Z=0.91, P=0.539). Significant heterogeneity (I2=47.1%, P=0.092) among various research literature was found and meta-regression was undertaken for the heterogeneity, but surgical technique, mean age of patients at time of surgery, types of PHS and the quality of studies were not the cause of heterogeneity. Use of T, DHT and HCG prior to hypospadias repair does not appear to increase the incidence of postoperative complications, but further investigation is needed.

MP52-15 SURGICAL TREATMENT OF HYPOSPADIAS AFTER PUBERTY: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES

You have accessJournal of UrologyTrauma/Reconstruction/Diversion: Urethral Reconstruction (including Stricture, Diverticulum) II1 Apr 2016MP52-15 SURGICAL TREATMENT OF HYPOSPADIAS AFTER PUBERTY: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES Mujun Lu, Dachao Zheng, Haijun Yao, Dongdong Xiao, and Zhong Wang Mujun LuMujun Lu More articles by this author , Dachao ZhengDachao Zheng More articles by this author , Haijun YaoHaijun Yao More articles by this author , Dongdong XiaoDongdong Xiao More articles by this author , and Zhong WangZhong Wang More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2016.02.491AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Primary hypospadias is recommended to receive surgery before two years old. But in China, a lot of patients had missed the best age at surgery due to economic condition. Compared to infants with hypospadias, the hypospadias after puberty have rarely been reported internationally, and have not yet unified diagnostic and treatment practices. This article summarizes the surgical treatment result of the hypospadias after puberty in our clinic and proposes the surgical algorithm and strategy for the hypospadias after puberty. METHODS The clinic profiles of 601 hypospadias patents from January 2000 to December 2012 were summarized, including 384 cases under 10 years old (before puberty, 63.9%) and 217 cases after puberty (36.1%). The age of patients after puberty ranged from 10 to 38 years old (mean: 22.39 ± 7.0). After penile curvature extension, the severity of hypospadias was determined by the site of meatus. Patients received penile curvature extension step by step until ventral curvature was corrected. The process of penile curvature extension includes degloving of penile skin, mobilizing and releasing the urethral plate, excision of the ventral urethral plate adjacent fiber, duplication of dorsal penile tunica albuginea and transection of urethral plate. There were 36 cases with distal hypospadias (16.44%), 56 with middle hypospadias (25.57%) and 127 with proximal hypospadias (57.99%), among which 68 were primary and 151 were redo cases. The surgical treatments consisted of tubularized incised urethral plate (TIP), various flaps and two-stage methods. The follow up duration ranged from 6 to 34 months. Post-operative complications included fistula, meatal stenosis, diverticulum, infection, dehiscence, necrosis et al. RESULTS In after puberty hypospadias cases, there were 16 cases receiving TIP and 20 cases receiving flaps for distal ones, with a total complication rate of 16.67% (6/36). As for middle hypospadias, 19 cases received TIP, 29 cases received flaps and 8 cases received two-stage method, with a total complication rate of 21.43% (12/56). In cases of proximal hypospadias, there were 19 TIP cases, 71 flaps cases and 37 twos-stage cases, with a total complication rate of 33.07% (42/127). CONCLUSIONS The step-wise ventral curvature extension can correct ventral curvature, which is the foundation of urethral reconstruction. Compared to hypospadias before puberty, the total post-operative complication rate of hypospadias after puberty is higher. For hypospadias after puberty, TIP and flaps are recommended for distal and middle types, while two-stage methods for proximal one. © 2016FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 195Issue 4SApril 2016Page: e694 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2016MetricsAuthor Information Mujun Lu More articles by this author Dachao Zheng More articles by this author Haijun Yao More articles by this author Dongdong Xiao More articles by this author Zhong Wang More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Two-stage graft urethroplasty for proximal and complicated hypospadias in children: A retrospective study

Although two-stage graft urethroplasty is widely used, the literature regarding the complication rates and functional characteristics of reconstructed neourethra is relatively modest. The aim was to analyze the complication rates and uroflow data of boys who have previously undergone a two-stage graft urethroplasty procedure for proximal and complicated hypospadias. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes of 52 boys with proximal (n=44) and complicated (n=8) hypospadias who underwent two-stage graft urethroplasty repair (median age of 15 months and 3 years respectively) between 2004 and 2015. Fifteen toilet-trained boys without fistulas underwent uroflowmetry. The uroflow data were plotted on age-volume-dependent normograms with normal controls. The median follow-up was 34 months (8 months-8 years). Complications were identified in three patients (6%) after the first stage (i.e. contracture of the graft) and in 20 patients (38.4%) after the second stage, including meatal stenosis (n=8, 15.3%), urethral stricture (n=4, 7.6%), urethrocutaneous fistula (n=8, 15.3%), glandular dehiscence (n=1, 1.9%), and diverticulum (n=1, 1.9%). The patients with failed hypospadias experienced fewer complications than those who underwent the two-stage procedure for primary repair (25% and 45%, respectively). The reoperation rate was 36.8%. Eleven of the 15 toilet-trained boys were asymptomatic but exhibited flow rates below the normal range (median Qmax=7mL/s, range 3.5-16.7). Only one of the boys with a low flow rate was confirmed to have urethral stenosis under general anesthesia. In our study, primary hypospadias repair requiring urethral plate transection elicited worse outcomes than those observed in the prior failed hypospadias cases. However, because of our study's retrospective design, we were unable to accurately assess the initial position of the meatus in the redo hypospadias cases. Our data also demonstrated that the majority of cases without any voiding symptoms exhibited flow rates that were below the normal range despite no urethral stricture under general anesthesia. These findings indicate that urethras reconstructed via two-stage graft urethroplasty repair are not functionally equivalent to normal urethras, at least prior to puberty. Two-stage graft urethroplasty repair was successful in 62% of cases after the second-stage procedure, but one-third of the boys required a reoperation after the two-stage planned repair. We demonstrated that although we used a urethral tissue substitute, the urine flow patterns of the patients without strictures were abnormal.

Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty repair in adult hypospadias patients. Are results similar to those reported in the pediatric age group? A prospective study

ObjectiveMost studies published in the literature report on the results of tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIPU) for hypospadias repair in children. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the results of TIPU repair in adults. Patients and methodsThe records of 60 adult patients with primary hypospadias treated with TIPU between April 2009 and May 2012 were reviewed. All the procedures were done by the same surgeon under similar conditions and using the same kind of instruments and suture material. On clinical examination, the meatal location, as well as the presence/absence of chordee and penile torsion was assessed. The quality of the spongiosum and the width of the urethral plate were evaluated intraoperatively. The postoperative complications and results were recorded and the data were analyzed. ResultsThe patients’ age ranged from 16 to 27 years with a mean of 21 years. Out of the 60 cases, 43 (72%) had distal penile, 7 (11%) mid-penile and 10 (17%) proximal hypospadias. Penile torsion was present in 10 (17%) cases with 80% having a torsion ≤45° and 20% having a torsion of 45–90°. Ventral chordee ranging from 30° to 90° was present in 14 (23%) cases. Chordee correction was possible by penile de-gloving in 4 (29%) patients (2 with distal and 2 with mid-penile hypospadias), by further mobilization of the urethral plate with the corpus spongiosum in 3 (21%) and by proximal urethral mobilization in another 6 (42%) patients with proximal hypospadias. One (7%) patient also required tunica albuginea plication. The urethral plate was wide in 22 (37%), average in 26 (43%) and narrow in 12 (20%) patients. Fifty percent of the patients with a narrow urethral plate developed complications, compared to 15% of the patients whose urethral plate had an average width and none of the patients with a wide urethral plate. The spongiosum was well developed in 38 (63%) patients, while in 11 (18%) patients each the spongiosum was moderately and poorly developed. The complication rates were significantly higher (55%) in patients with a poorly developed spongiosum as compared to those with a well-developed spongiosum. The overall complication rate was 17% including fistula in 10% of the patients (2 patients with mid-penile and 4 patients with proximal hypospadias). Meatal stenosis was found in 4 patients with distal hypospadias (7%) who responded well to meatal dilatation. The fistula cases required surgical repair with a success rate of 100%. Mean hospitalization and follow-up were 9 days and 6–24 (median 37) months, respectively. ConclusionsComplications encountered in the present study were urethral fistula and meatal stenosis with a higher incidence in patients with proximal hypospadias than reported in the literature. The important factors for the outcome of TIPU were the severity of hypospadias, the degree of curvature and the development of the spongiosum and urethral plate. Proximal hypospadias with a poor urethral plate and severe curvature in adults is not suitable for TIPU. In such cases, single-stage flap urethroplasty or two-stage buccal mucosal urethroplasty should be considered instead.

590 Prognostic factors for complications following primary hypospadias repair

590 Prognostic factors for complications following primary hypospadias repair

Fenestrated sheet split-thickness skin grafting for reconstruction of penile skin loss in pediatric population

ObjectivesWe aimed to evaluate our experience with fenestrated sheet split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs) in the pediatric population. Materials and methodsWe retrospectively studied a cohort of 17 children 2–18years old who underwent skin grafting owing to circumcision injuries (2 patients), traumatic penile injury (1) and after previous multiple hypospadias surgery (14). Fenestrated 0.012in sheet STSGs from thigh area (15 patients) and buttock area (2) were fashioned to resurface the denuded penis following reconstruction. The median follow up was 13years (range 1–19years). ResultsThere was 94% take of the grafts. One patient required additional grafting following first graft infection. Six patients underwent concomitant surgery at the time of grafting (4 chordee repair and 2 meatoplasty). Two patients had slight chordee at 3 and 6years postoperatively, and 2 with the history of preputial tubularized island flap hypospadias repair had developed a urethral stricture, which required staged repair with buccal mucosa 12 and 14years following primary hypospadias repair. Six sexually active patients reported normal sexual intercourse and sensation following grafting. None of the patients demonstrated shrinkage of the STSGs over the follow up period. ConclusionsOur data demonstrated that the use of fenestrated sheet STSGs in patients with penile skin loss yields satisfactory functional and cosmetic outcomes. The buttocks might be considered as a preferable donor site in terms of avoiding a visible scar.

Impact of changing trends in technique and learning curve on outcome of hypospadias repair: An experience from tertiary care center.

Introduction:Apart from numerous clinical factors, surgical experience and technique are important determinants of hypospadias repair outcome. This study was aimed to evaluate the learning curve of hypospadias repair and the impact of changing trends in surgical techniques on the success of primary hypospadias repair.Materials and Methods:We retrospectively analyzed of data of 324 patients who underwent primary repair of hypospadias between January 1997 and December 2013 at our center. During the initial 8 years, repairs were performed by multiple 5 different urologists. From 2005 onwards, all procedures were performed by a single urologist. The study cohorts was categorized into three groups; Group I, surgeries performed between 1997–2004 by multiple surgeons, Group II, between 2005–2006 during the initial learning curve of a single surgeon, and Group III, from 2007 onwards after completion of the learning curve of the single surgeon. The groups were compared in respect to surgical techniques, overall success and complications.Results:Overall 296 patients fulfilled the inclusion criterion, 93 (31.4%), 50 (16.9%), and 153 (51.7%) in Group I, II, and III, respectively. Overall success was achieved in 60 (64.5%), 32 (64%), and 128 (83.7%) patients among the three groups respectively (P < 0.01). Nineteen (20.4%), 20 (40%), and 96 (62.7%) patients underwent tubularized incised plate repair in Group I, II, and III, with successful outcome in 12 (63.2%), 15 (75%), and 91 (94.8%) patients, respectively (P < 0.01). The most common complication among all groups was urethrocutaneous fistula, 20 (21.5%) in Group I, 11 (22%) in Group II, and 17 (11.1%) in Group III.Conclusion:There is a learning curve for attaining surgical skills in hypospadias surgery. Surgeons dedicated for this surgery provide better results. Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty appear promising in both distal and proximal type hypospadias.

Fertility Potential in Adult Hypospadias.

Hypospadias is a congenital anomaly of the urogenital tract characterized by abnormal location of the external urethral meatus over ventral aspect of penis. The ideal time to correct primary hypospadias is when aged 6-12 months. However, in some developing countries, such as ours, this anomaly may be left untreated until adulthood. There are multiple risk factors responsible for development of this anomaly, out of which paternal sub fertility is one of them. As the child grows into adulthood, fertility status becomes an important issue, frequently raised by patients. To evaluate the fertility potential of adult hypospadiac patients and to rule out the effect of age of surgical correction over fertility potential. Seventy three adult patients of hypospadias were prospectively evaluated, out of which 43 were operated during adulthood. All patients underwent measurement of penile length and circumference in both flaccid and erect positions along with testicular volume, serum LH, FSH and testosterone and semen analysis. A set of questionnaire was given to all the patients which included assessment of erectile function (IIEF-5), ejaculatory function, strength of libido and level of satisfaction after sexual intercourse. Results were compared with an age matched control group of 70 healthy person. Out of 73 patients with a mean age of 23.73 years, 14(19.17%) had proximal and rest 59(80.82%) had distal type of hypospadias. Mean penile length in both type of hypospadiac patients under both flaccid and erect conditions (7.92±1.33 and 9.62±1.31cm) were significantly shorter than those of control (10.78±0.94 and 13.15±1.15 cm) (p<0.001). In spite of short penile length, the level of satisfaction of all patients and their partner after penetrating intercourse were comparable to control (p>0.05). The strength of libido (p>0.05) was comparable with control in both type of hypospadiac patients; however IIEF-5 scores was poor in the proximal type of hypospadias. Semen volume (ml), sperm concentration (mill/ml), active sperm motility (%), and normal sperm morphology were comparable between distal hypospadiac group and control (p>0.05), however these parameters were poor in proximal type. The serum FSH and LH levels were significantly higher and serum testosterone level was significantly lower in hypospadiac patients than control (p <0.001). However, no difference in testicular size was found. The patients who were operated during childhood had shorter penile length compared to patients operated during adulthood. Fertility potential parameters in distal type of hypospadias were comparable with control. However the proximal type had poor erectile function and semen quality. Patients operated in either childhood or in adulthood, there was no significant difference in fertility potential.

Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty results in patients with proximal hypospadias

Objective : To evaluate the results of the patients with primary proximal hypospadias repaired by “tubularized incised plate” urethroplasty (TIPU). Methods: Thirty-three patients who were operated with TIPU technique in our clinic between 2003-2011 for primary hypospadias with proximal penile and penoscrotal meatus were retrospectively evaluated. Evaluation of the success in this study was, “voiding without fistula”. Results: Mean age was 6.82±3.07 (1-13). Fifteen patients (45.4%) had penoscrotal and 18 patients (54.6%) had proximal penil meatus. Postoperative success was evaluated with direct vision of voiding at the time of un-catheterization, 2 weeks and 6 months after un-catheterization. Success rates were 5/15 and 10/18 after the first repair in the level penoscrotal and proximal penil, respectively. Overall success rate was 45.5% after the first repair. Patients with urethral fistula after first repair were undergone second repair, success rates were increased to 9/15 and 16/18 in the levels of penoscrotal and proximal penil, respectively. Overall success rate after second repair was 75.8%. Conclusion: TIPU may be confidently applied for the patients with proximal hypopadias in experienced clinics, if there is not an uretral cordi or/and abnormality in the development of urethral plate. Key words: Proximal, hypospadias, tubularize incised plate urethroplasty

Comparison of variables affecting the surgical outcomes of tubularized incised plate urethroplasty in adult and pediatric hypospadias

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends operating on hypospadias between the ages of 6-12 months. Since most births in developed countries are conducted in a hospital, parents are likely to be well informed and counseled about the hypospadias. However, significant numbers of births in developing countries are still conducted at home, with illiteracy, poverty and ignorance often leading to late presentation at the hospital. Reported hypospadias-repair complication rates are higher in adults compared with those having surgery in childhood. The present study's objective was to evaluate the factors affecting surgical outcome in hypospadias patients undergoing tubularized and tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIPU) in adulthood compared with childhood. A prospective study of 60 adult patients >16 years, and 60 pediatric patients <5 years who underwent TIPU for primary hypospadias between May 2008 and May 2012. Patients were operated on by a single surgeon, under similar circumstances, and were pre-operatively examined to assess meatal location, chordee, and torsion; they were also examined intra-operatively for quality of spongiosum and urethral plate width. The outcomes were assessed by patient/parents for satisfaction regarding cosmesis, urinary stream and complications. The age of the patients varied from 16 to 27 years, with a mean of 20.8 years in adults, and 6 months to 5 years, with a mean of 2.1 years, in children. The type of hypospadias, degree of curvature, quality of spongiosum and urethral plate width were comparable in both groups, but complication rates were higher in adults (16.7%) than in the pediatric (6.7%) group (Figure1A-D). Meatal stenosis responded well to dilatation, but fistulae required revision surgery and had a cure rate of 100%. The median follow-up was 37 months in adults, and 39 months in children. The higher complication rates in adults may be due to more frequent erections; increased susceptibility to infection along with relatively reduced vascularity lead to poor wound healing and increased complication rates. The limitation of the study was the small number of patients with mid and proximal hypospadias having lesser incidences in comparison with distal hypospadias. Adequate number of patients in these subgroups could have further strengthened the statistical correlation. Secondly, there was no objective criterion like uroflowmetry to assess urinary stream. Complication rates were higher in adults undergoing TIPU compared with pediatric patients, which was also statistically significant in distal hypospadias. The important factors in surgical outcome were: severity of hypospadias, degree of curvature, quality of spongiosum, and urethral plate width.

Urethrocutaneous fistula following hypospadias repair: regional anesthesia and other factors.

Urethrocutaneous fistula is a well-known complication of hypospadias surgery. A recent prospective study by Kundra etal. (Pediatr Anesth 2012) has suggested that caudal anesthesia may increase the risk of fistula formation. We sought to evaluate this possible association and determine if any other novel factors may be associated with fistula formation. Children who underwent primary hypospadias repair between January 1, 1994 and March 31, 2013 at our tertiary care center were included in this study. Reviewed surgical data included repair type, duration of procedure, use of local anesthetic infiltration, and subcutaneous epinephrine. Analgesic factors included use of caudal and/or penile block, opioid usage, postoperative pain scores, and nausea/vomiting. Postoperative surgical complications and estimates of family household median income by zip code were also reviewed. Fistula occurrence was not associated with caudal or penile block, severity of postoperative pain, or surgeon experience. A more proximal location of the urethral meatus, longer operating time, and use of subcutaneous epinephrine were significantly more common in patients who developed fistula. As assessed by home address zip code, distance of more than 100 miles and median household income in the bottom 25th percentile of our study population were not associated with fistula, as compared to closer distance or higher income. In this series, we found no association between the use of caudal regional anesthesia and fistula formation. Location of the starting urethral meatus, prolonged surgical duration, and subcutaneous epinephrine use were associated with fistula formation. Our findings call into question the routine use of epinephrine in hypospadias repair.

Failed hypospadias repair: An algorithm for secondary reconstruction using remaining local tissue

Salvage hypospadias surgery is performed after failed primary reconstruction. Several treatment strategies have been suggested, all with pros and cons. The aim of this study was to evaluate our treatment algorithm for primary hypospadias repair applied to secondary cases in which a salvage procedure is indicated and, most importantly, local tissue is present. The algorithm was applied to 36 consecutive patients who had undergone a total of 109 surgical procedures before referral. In accordance with the algorithm, 12 patients without ventral curvature achieved a satisfactory result with one procedure by the use of local skin flaps. Six patients with moderate ventral curvature underwent orthoplasty, fistula closure, and/or urethral reconstruction using local skin flaps in one session. Eighteen patients with a severe ventral curvature or a proximal meatus were reconstructed in two stages using Byars' technique. After a median of two salvage procedures (range: 1-4), all patients but one, who awaits splitting of a skin bridge in the meatus, were successfully reconstructed. Two patients in active follow-up have potential problems requiring further surgery. Our findings indicate that failed hypospadias repairs are often due to an underestimation of the ventral curvature at the initial repair. Therefore, reevaluation of the degree of curvature is important. One-stage salvage repairs can be used, provided that none or minimal curvature remains. In cases of marked curvature, however, a meticulous resection of the chordee and ventral scarring is crucial. The subsequent repair of the large ventral defect and the long urethral reconstruction can, in most cases, be safely managed in a two-stage procedure.