Comprehensive evaluation of grafting the preservable narrow plates with consideration of native plate width at primary hypospadias surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Dorsal inlay graft urethroplasty using inner-face preputial graft was described as an adjunct method to the classic tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty, aiming at reducing the risk of neourethral stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of dorsal inlay grafting of preservable narrow plates, in relation to native plate width.

METHODS: Consecutive children with penile hypospadias with narrow plate (width < 8 mm) were evaluated prospectively between Jan 2014 and Jun 2018. Included cases were stratified into two groups: group A (plate width: 4 to <8 mm) and group B (plate width: < 4 mm). All cases were approached by TIP urethroplasty, with dorsal inlay grafting (inner-face prepuce). Cases with significant chordee (non-preservable plates), circumcised cases, and redo cases were excluded.

RESULTS: A total of 104 hypospadias cases with narrow plates were included in this study. Among group A (n = 81), the need for postrepair urethral dilations was reported in two cases (2.5%) vs seven cases (30%) in group B (n = 23) (P-value < 0.001). Another two cases (2.5%) in group A developed urethrocutaneous fistulae vs three cases (13%) in group B (P-value = 0.0624). Surgical repair of the reported five cases with fistulae, revealed an ample neourethral wall; disclosing well-taken grafts in both groups.

DISCUSSION: Few published studies evaluated grafting the incised plate in penile hypospadias. To the authors knowledge, this is the first study that selectively evaluated the impact of grafting narrow plates in relation to its native pre-incision width.

CONCLUSIONS: According to the presented authors' experience, 4 mm width is the border line of clinical relevance that defines poor urethral plate. Grafting that plate failed to compensate for its native poor characteristics; however, it offered a valuable neourethral wall that proved indispensable when redo surgery deemed necessary, without adding grafting-related problems. Nevertheless, further extended comparative studies came across as a necessity to verify the long-term outcomes of grafting the incised poor plates.