USE OF A URETHRAL SPLINT IN ONE-STAGE HYPOSPADIAS REPAIR

Over a 9-month period, 28 patients with distal penile or more proximal hypospadias underwent one-stage surgical repair. Bladder drainage was acheived in the traditional fashion with either an indwelling Foley catheter or suprapubic catheter or by using a modified urethral silicone stent ("splent"). Twenty-two patients had repair with a perimeatal skin flap, and the remaining six patients had major urethral reconstruction with a vascularized preputial island flap. Use of the urethral splent was associated with shorter postoperative hospitalization and minimal short-term complications. The authors' experience has shown that use of a urethral splent for urinary drainage is efficient and effective in postoperative management after hypospadias repair.