Tubeless Barcat: a patient-friendly hypospadias procedure

Outcome of stented versus unstented mid-shaft to distal hypospadias repair

Aims

We compared the outcomes of unstented repair (UR) versus stented repair (SR) in patients with mid-shaft to coronal hypospadias (HS) to elucidate if SR has any advantage over the UR.

Materials and Methods:

We retrospectively studied our mid-shaft to coronal HS repair patients between January 2013 and January 2018. We recorded variables such as degree of HS, age at repair, surgeon, type of repair, suture used, stent usage, and standard early and late complications. Relative risk (RR) was calculated and P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

We included 120 patients (63 UR, 57 SR). There was no statistically significant difference in any parameters in both the groups. All had either tubularized incised plate or Thiersch–Duplay procedure. Urethroplasty was done with PDS 6/0 in all cases. Trainees performed two-third of the repairs under variable supervision. Early complications included one UR patient having urinary retention needing insertion of urethral catheter, five SR patients having bleeding/swelling, and three UR having dysuria. All were managed conservatively. For late complications, 98 patients were available (UR: 51, SR: 47) with fistula in 17 (17.3%), UR 8 (15.6%) versus SR 9 (19.1%) (P = 0.5, RR = 1.2) meatal stenosis in 3, UR 3 versus SR 0 (P = 0.06, RR = 6.4) and glanular dehiscence 6, UR 4 versus SR 2 (P = 0.25, RR = 1.8).

Conclusion:

There were no statistically significant differences in the short-term complications between UR and SR for HS. In the long term, RR for meatal stenosis is higher in UR.

Three-week or one-week bladder catheterization for hypospadias repair? A retrospective-prospective observational study of 189 patients

PURPOSE

While there is little scientific evidence over the optimal duration for transurethral bladder catheterization after hypospadias repair, most surgeons leave the catheter for 7-10 days. We herein describe our experience with bladder catheterization for three weeks after hypospadias repair, an approach not previously described in the literature.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed the charts of 189 patients who underwent hypospadias repair by a single pediatric urologist. The study population was divided as follows: group 1 consisted of children operated between March 2007 and September 2010 and whose catheters were left for one week (n=95); group 2 consisted of those operated between September 2010 and July 2013 and whose catheters were left for three weeks (n=94). The primary objective of the study was to compare complication rates between the two groups. Secondary outcomes were evaluation of the effect of age, surgical technique, curvature, and hypospadias degree as potential factors for postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Median age at hypospadias repair was 18 months (range, 3-100 months) in group 1, and 16 months (range, 2-96 months) in group 2, P=.209. The complication rate was 22.1% (n=21) for group 1 and 7.4% (n=7) for group 2, P=.005. Complications observed in group 1 and 2 were meatal stenosis (n=4 and 2, respectively) and urethro-cutaneous fistulas (n=17 and 5, respectively). Coronal fistulas manifested more frequently in patients in group 1 compared to those in group 2 (13.7% vs. 3.2%, P=.01). Complications were observed in 20 patients out of 139 (11.5%) after Duplay, and in 8 patients out of 15 (53.3%) after Duckett (P<.001). In Duplay cases, complications were significantly associated with one-week bladder catheterization (OR: 5.00; 95% CI: 1.53-16.32; P=.008) and higher age group at operation (OR: 1.88; 95% CI 1.07-3.28; P=.026). In Duckett cases, number of surgeries, age, severity, curvature and catheter duration were not found to be associated with complications.

CONCLUSION

In cases of Duplay, a three-week instead of one-week catheterization and age below 6 months at hypospadias repair are associated with a better outcome and fewer complications.

The glandular resection and central embedding modification (GRACE) in Duckett and Barcat hypospadias repair

INTRODUCTION

We recently reported a novel modification of the Barcat technique termed glandular resection and central embedding (GRACE). Here, we report results from a large patient population and apply this modification also to Duckett hypospadias repair.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 488 patients who had undergone primary or secondary hypospadias repair by Barcat or Duckett using the GRACE modification.

RESULTS

For all GRACE repairs, cosmetic appearance was favorable regarding meatal position, shape and overall appearance. Maximum and average flow were above the 5th percentile in at least 95%. In Barcat and Duckett repairs, urethrocutaneous fistulas occurred in 5 and 30.7%, urethral strictures in 3 and 20.8%, and meatal strictures in 5 and 25.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The initially reported favorable cosmetic and functional results were confirmed both for Duckett and Barcat repair using the GRACE modification. Complication rates were favorably low for Barcat and higher, but consistent with published results, for Duckett repair.

Glandular resection and central embedding in hypospadias repair--a novel modification of the Barcat technique

PURPOSE

Urethrocutaneous fistula and urethral or meatal stricture, to date, remain the commonest complications of hypospadias repair, with increased tissue tension being a major cause of failure. We developed a novel technique comprising glandular resection and central embedding of the neourethra to specifically address this critical issue. We report the results of the first 112 procedures, of which 7 cases were a secondary hypospadias repair.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients who underwent hypospadias repair using the glandular resection and central embedding technique over a period of 10 years were included into this retrospective single-surgeon case series. An independent third-party observer carried out follow-up examinations including urometric evaluation.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 37 months (range, 7-147 months). In the group of primary hypospadias repair, urethrocutaneous fistulas were observed in 4%, all requiring surgical revision, and meatal or urethral stricture were observed in 4% of the patients, treated either surgically or by dilatation. In 98% of the patients, the neomeatus was located at the tip of the glans. A cosmetically impeccable slitlike appearance of the meatus was achieved in 84%, and a cosmetically acceptable oval shape was achieved in 10% of the patients. Both maximum and average urinary flow rates were within the standard ranges for the respective age groups in 93.7% and 96%, respectively. There was no significant residual urine in 92% of the patients. In the group of secondary hypospadias repairs, both cosmetic and functional results were similar, and no complications were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

Glandular resection and central embedding is a promising expansion of the repertoire of Barcat modifications. It allows safe embedding of the neourethra and glandular closure without detrimental tension. The cosmetic and functional results are encouraging.

Short-term catheterization after TIP repair in distal hypospadias: who are the best candidates?

Over the last decade, tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty has become the first choice of surgical technique in patients with distal hypospadias. Despite the excellent cosmetic and functional results, prolonged catheterization (7-14 days) remains the main disadvantage of the TIP repair. In this study, we investigated the outcomes of the short-term catheterization in children with distal hypospadias in order to elucidate any relationship between the length of catheterization and the patients' age, meatal localization and postoperative complication rates. The charts of 183 patients who underwent TIP repair for distal hypospadias in two different centers were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were grouped based on their catheter removal time (before 24 h vs. after 24 h) and the toilet status of children (toilet-trained vs. in-diaper). Children who had at least 6 months of follow-up and regular office visits were included in the study group, and the results were compared to the literature as well as the subgroups were also evaluated in terms of complications and catheterization period. A total of 128 patients with 40.4 months of the mean age (6-180 months) and 22.7 months of the follow-up (6-49 months) were included in the study. For the group 1 patients (n = 99) in whom the urethral catheter was removed before 24 h, the mean age and follow-up were 33.4 months (6-150 months) and 22.3 months (6-48 months), respectively. The catheters of group 2 patients (n = 29) were removed after 24 h, and their mean age and follow-up were 64.4 months (6-180 months) and 24.2 months (6-49 months), respectively. The group 2 patients were significantly older than those of group 1 (P < 0.05). The complications, such as fistula, meatal stenosis, tube dehiscence and buried penis, were seen in 11.1% of the group 1 and 13.8% of the group 2 (11.7% in overall), showing no statistically significant difference. On the other hand, 44% of the patients (n = 56) were toilet-trained at time of surgery. Although the mean age (79 months vs. 10.4 months) and the catheter removal time (64.3% vs. 87.5% before 24 h) of this group were significantly longer than the patients in diaper (P < 0.05), no significant difference was determined in terms of complication (14.2% vs. 9.7%). TIP repair with short-term catheterization has similar outcomes to the patients who conventionally carry their stent 7-14 days. The meatal position and the toileting status of the patients are not important in the use and length of catheterization.

Mathieu and Barcat repair with a V incision sutured meatoplasty for secondary hypospadias surgery

AIM

Today single-stage methods are more frequently selected for hypospadias repair than multistaged methods, but complications cannot always be avoided. We employed two kinds of meatal based flip-flap urethroplasty procedures for those with an unsuccessful primary hypospadias repair.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 1997 to 2005, a meatal based flip-flap urethroplasty was performed as a secondary hypospadias surgery on 17 patients. Basically we attempted the Mathieu repair, but when the wings of the glans were not generously widened and the urethral groove was not sufficiently deep we applied the Barcat procedure. While 11 patients were repaired with the Mathieu technique, six patients underwent the Barcat repair. The V incision sutured meatoplasty was added to obtain a natural ventral slit-like meatus.

RESULTS

Ten of the 11 patients who underwent the Mathieu repair had a good outcome, but one patient developed a urethrocutaneous fistula. None of the six patients repaired with the Barcat procedure encountered postoperative complications. Cosmetically, a vertical slit was constructed near the normal neomeatus with the Mathieu and V incision sutured (MAVIS) meatoplasty and the Barcat and V incision sutured (BAVIS) meatoplasty.

CONCLUSIONS

The Mathieu or the Barcat meatal based flip-flap urethroplasty procedure is feasible as a salvage surgery for those with relatively short urethral defects and adequate mobile ventral skin if an exact procedure is selected. Excellent cosmetic results could be obtained by adding the technique of V incision sutured meatoplasty.