Recent advances in understanding/management of hypospadias.

This article discusses recent progress in hypospadias repair. Prospective data collection in consecutive patients promotes better understanding of both patient and technical factors that influence surgical complications. Patients with a proximal urinary opening near or within the scrotum, those failing prior to repairs, and/or those with a small glans diameter have increased likelihood for urethroplasty complications. Quality review of reliable data led to two layer urethroplasty covered with tunica vaginalis in proximal repairs, significantly reducing postoperative fistulas. Neither preoperative androgens used to grow a small diameter glans, nor a change in sutures used to approximate the glans wings reduced wound dehiscence, but a recent technical modification of the glansplasty with more extensive dissection before suturing has. The observation that reoperation increases risk for further complications three-fold suggests the less common proximal repairs and reoperations should be subspecialized so that designated surgeons can gain greater expertise. In addition, surgeons performing hypospadias repair must better define the complications that occur so that scientific reporting of outcomes becomes more standardized. Standardized objective means to assess results are also needed so that surgeons performing different repairs can compare outcomes. PMID: 25580255 [PubMed]
Source: F1000 Medicine Reports - Category: Biomedical Science Tags: F1000Prime Rep Source Type: research