Complications of hypospadias repair

Any surgeon performing hypospadias repair must be prepared to manage the surgical complications. From January 1976 to December 1982, 176 cases of hypospadias treated with a number of different operations were critically analyzed for complications. There were no complications in 143 cases (81 per cent). However, there were 44 surgical complications in the remaining 33 patients (19 per cent), which included stricture formation (11), urethral fistula (11), severe skin edema (2), subcutaneous hematoma (2), persistent chordee (2), scrotal abscess (1) and bladder calculus (1). Treatment of the various complications is discussed along with suggestions on how to avoid them. When only 3 operations are considered (meatal advancement and glanuloplasty, flip-flap procedure and free graft tubed urethroplasty), surgical repair of all types of hypospadias was accomplished, without any complications in 89 per cent of the cases. The results of hypospadias repair have improved because of the availability of these more reliable procedures that provide a lower incidence of complications and improved cosmetic appearance.