Objective long-term evaluation after distal hypospadias repair using the meatal mobilization technique

Objective. Meatal mobilization (MEMO) by distal urethral preparation has been demonstrated to be an efficient surgical technique for the correction of distal hypospadias offering excellent short-term success rates. This study objectively evaluates individual patient satisfaction using a validated score in the long term. Material and methods. A total of 218 patients who underwent hypospadias repair using the MEMO technique was identified. Of these, 104 (mean age at time of surgery 4.9 years, range 2-28 years) had a minimum follow-up of 5 years and were eligible for the study. They were investigated by physical examination and self-assessment. An objective evaluation using the validated Hypospadias Objective Scoring Evaluation (HOSE) was done in all patients. Results. Mean follow-up was 6.3 (range 5-8) years. Ninety-nine patients participated in the investigation, an overall survey response rate of 95.2%. One urethrocutaneous fistula occurred, but no cases of stenosis were noted. One patient developed a mild penile deviation during the postoperative follow-up. Ninety-three out of 99 patients reached the maximum of 16 points (median 15, range 12-16) on the HOSE symptom score. Conclusion. The MEMO technique demonstrates a surgical success rate of 97% after 2 years. Even in the long-term follow-up of a mean 6.3 years objective outcome data and individual patient satisfaction were excellent. MEMO is a reliable and versatile method for distal hypospadias repair, as reflected by high patient satisfaction.