Scrotal dartos flap for the prevention of the urethrocutaneous fistula on hypospadias urethroplasty

BACKGROUND: Urethrocutaneous fistula is a common complication of urethroplasty for severe hypospadias, even when a microsurgical technique is applied. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 2001 to July 2003, we applied the scrotal dartos flap wrapping technique to prevent the occurrence of urethrocutaneous fistula in 14 patients with hypospadias. RESULTS: Hypospadias was repaired without fistula formation in all but one patient, who developed a tiny fistula which was later closed successfully by a simple procedure. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend the scrotal dartos wrapping technique for covering the neourethra with a well-vascularized flap because of fewer complications, although the procedure to obtain the vascularized flap may take longer.     

Treatment of proximal hypospadias with a tubularized island flap urethroplasty and the onlay technique: a comparative study

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The onlay island flap urethroplasty was first described in the repair of mid and distal penile hypospadias. Since then, this technique has been increasingly used in more severe cases of hypospadias, because of the complications of tubularized flaps, mainly megaurethra and proximal anastomotic strictures. The aim of this study was to compare the morbidity of these 2 techniques. METHODS: Between April 1994 and December 1998, 80 patients underwent surgical treatment for hypospadias. A tubularized island flap (Ducketttechnique) was performed in 42 cases, and the onlay island flap technique was used in 38 patients. The authors retrospectively compared the complication rate and type of these 2 procedures. RESULTS: Altogether, fistula was the most frequent complication without any significant difference between the 2 groups (21.4% for Duckett technique and 18.4% for onlay repair; P > .05). However, the anastomotic stricture was much more common in the tubularized flap group (7.14% v 2.63%; P < .05). Moreover, a megaurethra was found only in the Duckett technique group (4.7%). There was no case of chordee recurrence, but 6 patients (15.7%) treated with the onlay technique required urethrolysis including dissection of the chord behind the urethral plate, and in the other 3 patients of the same group (7.9%), a dorsal Nesbit plication also was necessary. In all these cases, the urethroplasty included an island cutaneous flap to provide ventral coverage to the neourethra. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that both techniques present similar complications. However, proximal strictures and megaurethra are more common after the Duckett technique. This procedure is of choice in patients with scrotal hypospadias. Conversely, the onlay repair should be completed with other procedures (urethrolysis, dorsal Nesbit plication) to obtain good results in patients with severe degree of chordee.     

Repair of hypospadias complications using the tubularized, incised plate urethroplasty

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Secondary procedures to correct complications after hypospadias repair remain challenging especially for "hypospadias cripples." The tubularized, incised plate urethroplasty was first introduced by Snodgrass for the repair of primary hypospadias in 1993. The authors used this procedure to correct the complications after hypospadias repair in patients who had no abundant local skin flaps to be used for a neourethra. METHODS: Six patients underwent tubularized, incised plate urethroplasty for the correction of complications of hypospadias repair performed the previous year, including a large urethrocutaneous fistula (n = 1) and disruption of the neourethra (n = 5). Prior surgical procedures included transverse island tube urethroplasty in 4 cases and 2-stage urethroplasty in 2 cases. The average patient age at the time of secondary procedure was 4.6 years (range, 1 to 12 years). RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 6 months (range, 2 months to 1 year). All the patients obtained a functional neourethra with a vertical, slitlike meatus. A small fistula developed in one child and mild meatal retraction in another. CONCLUSIONS: The tubularized, incised plate urethroplasty offers few complications and good cosmetic results. The authors recommend its use for patients who have had repeated surgeries for hypospadias repair, especially those in whom only limited local skin flaps can be utilized for a neourethra.     

Ventral based dartos flap for the prevention of the urethrocutaneous fistula urethroplasty

Background:   Urethrocutaneous fistula is a common complication of urethroplasty for hypospadias even when a microsurgical technique is applied.
Methods:   From January 1999 to November 2006, we applied the ventral based dartos flap wrapping technique to prevent the occurrence of urethrocutaneous fistula in 34 patients with hypospadias.
Results:   Hypospadias was repaired without fistula formation in 31 patients while three patients developed a tiny fistula, which was later closed successfully by a simple procedure.
Conclusion:   We conclude that the ventral based dartos flap wrapping technique could be an alternative to the dorsal dartos flap for covering the neourethra with a vascularized flap because the procedure is very simple, and complications rarely occur.     

Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty for distal hypospadia,using overlapping dorsal subcutaneous flaps

This paper presents a newly developed simple procedure using overlapping vascularized dorsal dartos subcutaneous flaps to cover the neourethra after hypospadias correction. A 3-year old boy with distal hypospadias underwent the tubularized incised plate urethroplasty using this method. Postoperative complications, which include urethrocutaneous fistula, were not observed, but the glans did exhibit a vertical, slit-like meatus. Covering the neourethra with overlapping dorsal dartos flaps is expected to prevent the development of urethrocutaneous fistula in patients with distal hypospadias.     

应用显微外科技术预防尿道下裂术后尿瘘

目的：提高尿道下裂一期手术疗效，减少尿瘘等并发症发生。方法：应用显微外科技术，选择不同的术式一期修复尿道下裂17例，包括加盖带蒂包皮瓣尿道成形术(onlay island flap urthroplasty)4例，横形带蒂包皮瓣尿道成形术(Duckett术)8例，膀胱黏膜一期尿道成形术5例。结果：一期手术全部成功，无尿瘘、尿道狭窄、感染等严重并发症。结论：应用显微外科技术，能提高尿道下裂一期手术的成功率，减少尿瘘的发生。     

Folding and everting distal end of graft flap to reduce orifice stenosis following onlay urethroplasty

Aim: Orifice stenosis remained to be a common complication of hypospadias repair. We had modified the preputial island flap urethroplasty by folding and everting the distal end of the pedicle graft flap to prevent the neo-orifice from stenosis. Methods: Sixteen patients had undergone hypospadias repair using a modified onlay island flap technique. A urethral catheter was retained for 8 days to 10 days after operation. Results: Satisfactory results were seen in all the patients with a cosmetically fine appearance. One patient had a urinary tract infection and another,urethrocutaneous fistula and both were amply treated. No glanular adhesion or stenosis occurred. A long-term follow up of 6 months to 4 years (mean: 2 years) in 15 patients did not find any complication. Conclusion: The modified preputial island flap urethroplasty technique is an easy, reliable and effective approach to reduce orifice stenosis in hypospadias repair. ( Asian J Androl 2003 Jun; 5:159-161 )     

Complications of the preputial island flap-tube urethroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To report the long-term results of hypospadias repair using tubularized transverse preputial island flaps. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-four patients (mean age 7 years, range 2-19) underwent a transverse preputial island flap-tube repair for hypospadias. All patients had chordee, 14 had anterior, 41 mid-penile and 19 penoscrotal hypospadias. The mean (range) follow-up was 43 (14-77) months and the outcome assessed by function and cosmesis. RESULTS: The repair was functionally and cosmetically successful in 43 patients (58%) as a single-stage repair. Necrosis and sloughing of the neourethra occurred in five patients (7%), urethrocutaneous fistula in 17 (23%), strictures in seven (9%), diverticula in three (4%) and insignificant urethral misalignment was detected by urethrography in three (4%); thus the overall complication rate was 42%. All of these complications were treated successfully in one or two re-operations. CONCLUSIONS: The transverse preputial island flap-tube repair of hypospadias is a demanding technique. Even in experienced hands it has a relatively high complication rate. Every effort should be made to preserve the urethral plate during orthoplasty, minimizing the need to use tubularized preputial island flaps and expanding the application of onlay procedures.     

加盖与管形包皮岛状皮瓣法在尿道下裂治疗中的应用

目的评价加盖包皮岛状皮瓣法（Onlay island flap法）与管形包皮岛状皮瓣法（Tubularized island flap法）手术治疗尿道下裂的适应证及疗效.方法总结分析166例尿道下裂修复手术及术后并发症.患儿年龄1～15岁,平均5.1岁.冠状沟型及阴茎体前型尿道下裂36例,阴茎体型81例,阴茎根型36例,阴囊及会阴型13例,其中外院行阴茎下弯矫正术后11例.合并阴茎下弯139例,轻度43例,中度43例,重度53例.采用加盖包皮岛状皮瓣法79例,管形包皮岛状皮瓣法87例.结果 166例手术成功率为90.4%.166例随访2年均未发生尿道狭窄、尿道憩室、阴茎皮肤坏死等合并症.加盖包皮岛状皮瓣法术后发生尿瘘4例（5.1%）,阴茎下弯复发7例（8.9%）,手术成功率为86.1%.管形包皮岛状皮瓣法术后发生尿瘘4例（4.6%）,阴茎下弯复发1例（1.1%）,手术成功率为94.2%.2种术式尿瘘发生率比较,差异无统计学意义;而阴茎下弯复发率比较,差异有统计学意义.结论加盖包皮岛状皮瓣法适用于尿道板发育好的阴茎体及阴茎根型病例,管形包皮岛状皮瓣适用于尿道口位于冠状沟至会阴合并重度阴茎下弯的各型尿道下裂.     

Dorsal dartos flap for preventing fistula in the Snodgrass hypospadias repair

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the importance of urethral covering using vascularized dorsal subcutaneous tissue for preventing fistula in the Snodgrass hypospadias repair. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 67 children (aged 1-11 years) who had hypospadias repaired between April 1998 and May 2003, including 51 with distal and 16 with midshaft hypospadias. In all children, a standard tubularized incised-plate urethroplasty was followed by reconstruction of new surrounding urethral tissue. A longitudinal dartos flap was harvested from excessive dorsal preputial and penile hypospadiac skin, and transposed to the ventral side by a buttonhole manoeuvre; it was sutured to the glans wings around the neomeatus, and to the corpora cavernosa over the neourethra. Thus the neourethra was completely covered with well-vascularized subcutaneous tissue. RESULTS: At a mean (range) follow-up of 21 (6-65) months, the result was successful, with no fistula or urethral stenosis, in all 67 children. CONCLUSION: We suggest that urethral covering should be part of the Snodgrass procedure. A dorsal well-vascularized dartos flap, buttonholed ventrally, is a good choice for preventing fistula. Redundancy of the flap and its excellent vascularization depends on the harvesting technique.     

Tubularized incised-plate urethroplasty for secondary hypospadias surgery

PURPOSE: Reoperation for failed hypospadias has been considered to be seriously bothersome because abundant penile skin does not tend to remain for urethroplasty or for penile shaft skin coverage. In this study, the tubularization of incised urethral plate was employed for those who had no excessive penile skin after failure of hypospadias repair. METHODS: Five patients with hypospadias underwent tubularized incised-plate urethroplasty as salvage surgery. The surgical techniques necessary for the performance of the reoperation were not different from those for the primary repair. The urethral plate was incised sufficiently deeply in its midline from the tip of the glans to the regressed meatus. The incised urethral plate was tubularized without tension over a catheter of an appropriate size. RESULTS: Four of those who underwent secondary tubularized incised-plate urethroplasty were successfully repaired without complications. A urethrocutaneous fistula occurred at the corona in the remaining patient. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of preputial skin in reoperative cases makes tubularized incised-plate urethroplasty the ideal option, although the series was small and postoperative duration is still short. In addition, this procedure can give excellent functional and cosmetic results even in patients who require revisional hypospadias surgery.     

Treatment of severe scrotal hypospadias with onlay-type urethroplasty using mouth mucosa

Failure in repairing severe hypospadias complicated with fistula and cutaneous retraction is often associated with lack of subcutaneous tissue and skin providing protection to the neourethra. We report the results of treatment in 6 patients with scrotal hypospadias with severe deviation and scarce dorsal prepuce. A neourethra was created by the onlay technique applying an oral mucosa graft and preserving in all cases the dorsal preputial skin for the island cutaneous flap. All patients had hypospadias without previous repairs excepting one of them, who had had one first time hypospadias repair in other hospital. Patients age ranged between 2 years and 3 months, and 4 years (mean: 2 years and 9 months). In all cases, hypospadias was scrotal type with severe deviation and scarce dorsal prepuce. All patients had prior hormone stimulation with dehydrotestosterone 3%. Surgical repair was performed in one-stage. Urethroplasty included preservation of the urethral plate, oral mucosa graft to provide ventral coverage, and island cutaneous flap with the dorsal preputial skin. In all cases, the chord was dissected behind the urethral plate. In 3 patients a dorsal Nesbit plication was necessary to obtain a complete straighten penis. Results in all 6 cases were satisfactory. Only one patient had a small leakage at the previous neomeatus. The other five patients are asymptomatic. Follow-up ranges from 6 months to 2 years. We conclude that urethroplasty in association with a well vascularized island flap of dorsal preputial skin decrease the incidence of fistulae. In patients with severe hypospadias with scarce dorsal prepuce urethroplasty should be completed with oral mucosa grafts preserving dorsal preputial skin for the ventral cutaneous plasty.     

Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty for proximal hypospadias

OBJECTIVES: Numerous surgical procedures have been used to correct distal hypospadias. Among them, the tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (Snodgrass procedure) has become a mainstay for the repair of distal hypospadias. We applied the procedure to proximal hypospadias. METHODS: Three patients with proximal hypospadias underwent a tubularized incised urethral plate urethroplasty. The location of the meatus was proximal penis in one, penoscrotal margin in one and scrotum in one. A perimeatal incision was made and the two paramedian incisions were extended to the tip of the glans. The skin of the penile shaft was dissected free to the penoscrotal junction and bands of fibrous tissue were excised until the corpus spongiosum proximal to the meatus was completely exposed inside the scrotum. The urethral plate was then incised in its midline from the tip of the glans to the hypospadiac meatus and was tubularized without tension. The neourethra was covered with a pedicle of subcutaneous tissue dissected from the dorsal skin or the scrotal skin to avoid fistula formation. RESULTS: The tubularized incised urethral plate urethroplasty was carried out successfully in one stage on three patients with proximal hypospadias. CONCLUSIONS: The Snodgrass procedure is suitable for correcting hypospadias in patients with a healthy urethral plate. It is also suitable in patients with proximal hypospadias.     

微创钨针在横形包皮岛状皮瓣法尿道下裂一期修复术中的应用

目的 总结微创钨针在横形包皮岛状皮瓣管状尿道成形法尿道下裂一期修复术的应用方法及术后效果。方法 我科2013年5月至2019年10月收治的其中226例尿道下裂患者,年龄6月~26岁（平均3.8岁）,其中阴茎体型119例,阴茎阴囊型83例,阴囊型及会阴型24例。术中应用微创钨针进行阴茎矫直、阴茎包皮脱套、横形包皮岛状皮瓣的切取及解剖等操作,将成形的横形包皮岛状皮瓣缝合成管状尿道,对各型尿道下裂进行一期尿道重建术。结果 术后7~8天拔除硅胶尿管排尿后,共发现12例伤口愈合不良、尿外渗及尿瘘形成。全部病例随访3月~2年,共发现尿瘘及尿道部分裂开24例,尿道外口狭窄2例,尿道（吻合口）狭窄3例,尿道憩室1例,阴茎下弯复发2例,总的并发症发生率为32/226（14.2%）。结论 在尿道下裂一期修复手术中,合理应用微创钨针的电切及电凝功能的优势特点,可精细分离解剖横形包皮岛状皮瓣,可安全有效获取尿道再造所需要的血运良好的包皮瓣等组织,有利于提高手术效率、减轻组织的损伤,可促进组织愈合、降低术后并发症。     

Lengthening urethral plate with inner preputial skin grafts: a modification of the onlay technique

PURPOSE: The onlay technique for primary hypospadias with severe chordee usually requires dorsal plication for residual curvature. To avoid this we use an inner preputial skin graft to reconstruct the urethral plate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The urethral plate is divided with a transverse incision near the meatus and penile straightening is achieved. After this a fitting inner preputial skin is grafted between the meatus and urethral plate, and the ventral side of the neourethra is formed with an onlay island flap. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients have undergone this procedure. At a mean followup of 10 months a urethrocutaneous fistula developed in 2 patients and glans dehiscence developed in 1. The complication rate was 14.3%. No anastomotic stricture or megaurethra were found. All patients had excellent cosmetic results. CONCLUSIONS: Lengthening the urethral plate with an inner preputial skin graft allows adequate correction of severe chordee. We think that it is a useful procedure in select cases of primary hypospadias with severe inward curvature.     

“Limited” double dorsal dartos flap coverage. An effective alternative to conventional flap coverage of the neourethra following Mathieu repair for subcoronal hypospadias

OBJECTIVES: Double dorsal dartos flap coverage of the neourethra has been reported to be superior to single flap coverage for the prevention of urethrocutaneous fistula following hypospadias surgery. Conventional flap coverage involves covering the entire neourethra with vascularised flap. We describe a "limited" double dorsal dartos flap coverage of the neourethra following Mathieu repair for subcoronal hypospadias. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study conducted between Feb 2003 and Feb 2007, 31 patients with primary subcoronal hypospadias who had a flat and narrow urethral plate with a healthy urethral meatus and minimal or no chordee underwent Mathieu hypospadias repair. A "limited" double dorsal dartos flap coverage of the neourethra was done in all patients. This involved covering only that portion of the neourethra which remained exposed after glans closure, i.e. the proximal neourethra. Primary surgical outcome assessed was the development of urethrocutaneous fistula following surgery. RESULTS: The mean age at the time of repair was seven years and mean follow up was eight months. There was no flap loss, urethrocutaneous fistula formation, or glanular dehiscence in any of the 31 patients. One patient developed meatal stenosis which was managed by dilatation. One patient developed superficial sloughing of the penile skin. Overall complication rate was 6.45%. CONCLUSION: "Limited" double dorsal dartos flap coverage of the neourethra seems to be an effective method to reduce the fistulous complication rate following Mathieu repair for subcoronal hypospadias. A larger comparative study needs to be done to evaluate conventional neourethral coverage with "limited" neourethral coverage.     

显微外科复尿道下裂术后尿道皮肤瘘

目的 探讨应用显微外科技术修复尿道下裂成形术后尿道皮肤瘘的治疗效果。方法 按三种方式显微外科修复阴茎部尿道皮肤瘘３７例４９个瘘口,瘘口间断内翻缝合２３例,横向旋转的复盖１０例和带蒂阴囊皮瓣转移４例。结果 显微外科修复一次手术成功率达８９．８％（４４／４９）。３例得期僵。１例再次手术治愈。结论显微修复组织损伤小,一次手术率和累积成功率高,明显优于统属一宏观下瘘口修补。     

Onlay island flap urethroplasty: variation on a theme.

The onlay island flap urethroplasty is useful in patients with distal, mid shaft and proximal hypospadias who have a well developed urethral plate and exhibit little or no curvature after release of chordee. The technique described has 2 main features: 1) use of the entire inner prepuce of the foreskin facilitates its mobilization and protects the vascular pedicle, and 2) additional soft tissue coverage is gained by removing the excess preputial mucosa not used for the neourethra. This extra soft tissue covering of the suture lines should prevent fistula formation. During the last 4 1/2 years the onlay island flap has been used for repair of hypospadias in 61 patients. The complication rate (6%) is low and compares favorably with other techniques. Further refinements in the onlay flap hypospadias repair should decrease the complication rate and widen its applicability.     

One-stage reconstruction of moderately severe hypospadias

Single stage repair of moderately severe degrees of hypospadias with correction of chordee and reconstruction of the neourethra presents a difficult challenge for the surgeon. Traditionally, a 2-stage approach to correct these defects has been used. However, more recently a 1-stage repair with correction of chordee and creation of a neourethra has increased in popularity. From 1978 to 1985 we treated 86 patients with moderately severe hypospadias and chordee with a 1-stage technique using either a transverse island pedicle flap, a Hodgson III hypospadias repair or a free preputial skin graft. Despite an over-all complication rate of 50 per cent, our final results based on cosmesis and function were deemed excellent in 90 per cent of the cases. Of the 44 complications 23 were strictures, most frequently at the proximal anastomosis. Two-thirds of these strictures responded to a single dilation with the patient under anesthesia. Our fistula rate was 10 per cent and flap necrosis, meatal stenosis or prolapse and residual chordee accounted for the remaining 12 complications. Our experience indicates that a 1-stage repair for moderately severe hypospadias and chordee can be performed in patients with a satisfactory success rate of more than 90 per cent, minimal morbidity and an acceptable complication rate.     

Preservation of the urethral plate in hypospadias repair: extended applications and further experience with the onlay island flap urethroplasty

The onlay island flap urethroplasty, a variant of the transverse preputial (tubularized) island flap, was originally described for repair of anterior hypospadias. However, many cases of mid and proximal hypospadias have a well developed urethral plate and exhibit little or no chordee after release of skin tethering. Patients with this combination of findings are ideal candidates for onlay island flap urethroplasty regardless of initial meatal position. During the last 5 years the onlay island flap has been used for repair of mid to posterior hypospadias in 31 patients (38% of the cases). These are variants that formerly would have required more extensive urethroplasty. Because of the technical advantages of the onlay island flap this alteration in technique selection has resulted in fewer complications. When applied to mid and posterior hypospadias the onlay island flap maintained a significantly lower complication rate (10%) compared to other standard techniques. Preservation of the urethral plate in hypospadias repair is a principle with significant implications to an extended variety of hypospadias.