UROLOGICAL SURVEY   ( Download pdf )

 

PEDIATRIC UROLOGY

Corporeal grafting for severe hypospadias: a single institution experience with 3 techniques
Leslie JA, Cain MP, Kaefer M, Meldrum KK, Misseri R, Rink RC
Department of Urology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
J Urol. 2008; 180 (4 Suppl): 1749-52; discussion 1752

  • Purpose: Correction of severe chordee by corporeal body grafting has been successfully performed using various grafts and biomaterials. We report a single institution comparison of our experience using small intestinal submucosa, tunica vaginalis and dermal grafts at stage 1 hypospadias repair.
  • Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of the records of all patients who underwent staged hypospadias repair from 1985 to 2006 with corporeal body grafting at stage 1 with small intestinal submucosa, tunica vaginalis or dermal grafts. Age at grafting, time between stages, residual chordee at stage 2 repair and the need for additional plication or chordee correction at stage 2 were recorded.
  • Results: A total of 71 patients were identified with a median age of 10 months at stage 1 repair and a median of 7.6 months between stages 1 and 2 repair. Dermal grafts, tunica vaginalis and small intestinal submucosa grafts were used in 29, 21 and 20 patients, respectively. One patient received a combination of small intestinal submucosa and tunica vaginalis. None of the patients receiving tunica vaginalis graft required any further correction of chordee. One patient with a dermal graft and 1 receiving small intestinal submucosa required Nesbit plication at stage 2 repair for minor ventral chordee. One patients receiving small intestinal submucosa showed severe fibrosis at the graft site, requiring excision and repeat grafting with tunica vaginalis. This patient has been previously described. The 2 patients with small intestinal submucosa related complications had 4-ply grafts. We have seen no complications associated with 1-ply small intestinal submucosa. At limited followup we have not seen residual chordee after stage 2 repair.
  • Conclusions: In a large group of children requiring corporeal grafting for severe chordee we observed successful chordee correction with 1-ply small intestinal submucosa, tunica vaginalis or dermal grafts.

  • Editorial Comment
    A 20-year experience of corporeal grafting in a staged hypospadias procedure is reported. Grafts were either small intestine submucosa, tunica vaginalis or dermal grafts. All of the patients have completed a second stage hypospadias repair. The urethral plate was divided when routine maneuvers to correct chordee still left 45° of ventral curvature. Tunica vaginalis was used as a graft in all the cases rather than a flap and each of the grafts were approximately 25% larger than the corporeal defect that was created to correct the chordee. Graft placement and success were verified after suturing the graft in place by an artificial erection.
    Initially for the SIS graft, 4-ply SIS was used in 12 patients and subsequently 1-ply has been used. Of the 71 patients in this study, the median age was 10 months. 29 dermal grafts, 21 tunica vaginalis grafts and 20 SIS grafts were used. One of the dermal graft patients and one of the 4-ply SIS patients required a subsequent repair. The authors concluded that each of the grafting materials were successful. They note that they have not used 4-ply SIS for several years and that long-term and post-pubertal outcome is not available.
    This manuscript shows that over two decades, several types of grafting materials have been used and each showing good success. In skilled hands, there is not a reason to choose one graft material over another. The second stage of the repair was not made more difficult by any of the graft procedures and it is heartening to know that the surgeon can make a personal and patient-appropriate choice and expect good outcomes.

Dr. Brent W. Snow
Division of Urology
University of Utah Health Sci Ctr
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
E-mail: brent.snow@hsc.utah.edu