Prepuce preserving versus conventional Mathieu urethroplasty for distal hypospadias - a prospective randomized study.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of prepuce preservation during Mathieu repair for distal hypospadias.

METHODS

This prospective randomized comparative study, carried out in Assiut University Hospital, between 2006 and 2009, included 200 patients with distal penile or coronal hypospadias. They underwent either Mathieu repair with prepuce preservation (group I, n = 100) or traditional Mathieu repair with circumcision (group II, n = 100). Follow up was at 2 weeks, and 1 and 3 months postoperatively, which only 153 patients completed (I: n = 86 and II: n = 67).

RESULTS

The mean operative time was 64.5 min in group I and 121.7 min in group II (p < 0.001). All patients in group I developed postoperative preputial edema. Patients from group I who had a successful operation underwent circumcision at least 3 months later. Urethrocutaneous fistulae developed in 7 and 6 patients in group I and II respectively (p = 0.967). Fistula closure was done at least 3 months postoperatively, and there was no significant difference in success between the two groups. Two cases of glanular dehiscence were detected (one in each group); the patient from group I had a successful onlay island flap repair.

CONCLUSIONS

Preputial preservation during Mathieu repair is a time-saving procedure with similar complication rate to traditional repair. Valuable local tissue is preserved to deal with complications that may occur.