Clinical review of the 'Snodgrass' hypospadias repair.

BACKGROUND: Snodgrass first described the tubularized, incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty for distal hypospadias repair in 1994 based on the concept of hingeing the incised urethral plate. The use of this technique allows a vertically orientated glanular meatus to be produced. A retrospective review of patients who had this procedure for the primary repair of distal hypospadias at New Children's Hospital was performed to objectively assess the cosmetic and functional outcomes of this technique.

METHODS: All patients having a TIP urethroplasty for the primary repair of distal hypospadias between 1996 and 1998 were requested to attend for review in an independent clinic. The parents were interviewed and the patient was examined to determine meatal location, meatal size, glanular configuration, urinary stream, straightness of erections, cosmesis, and the presence or absence of cutaneous sinus tracts or a urethral fistula.

RESULTS: Sixty patients were identified. Forty-nine were reviewed in person, 10 were reviewed by telephone and one could not be traced. The median age at surgery was 13 months (range: 6-144 months), with a median follow up of 27 months (range: 2-33 months). A glanular meatus was achieved in 57 patients (97%) and a conical glanular configuration was achieved in 58 patients (98%). The urinary stream and erections were straight in 54 (89%) and 58 patients (98%), respectively. Suture sinus tracts were present in 14 (24%) patients. Six patients (10%) developed a urethral fistula and three (5%) developed meatal stenosis. A good or satisfactory final cosmetic and functional result was achieved in 58 patients (98%).

CONCLUSIONS: The results of TIP urethroplasty are satisfactory at New Children's Hospital with the benefit of a cosmetic final outcome similar to a circumcised penis.