Staged reconstruction of hypospadias with chordee: outcome and costs

One-hundred-and-forty patients with hypospadias and chordee were reviewed from the points of view of surgical results and hospital costs. Ninety cases constituted a historical series, and 50 patients a current personal series. All were operated on by Byars' two-staged protocol with release of the chordee followed by urethral reconstruction. Complementary surgery was necessary in a total of 37 instances, particularly in cryptohypospadias with tight chordee and in penoscrotal hypospadias. Increasing personal experience with the operative technique has gradually reduced the need for such procedures. The final results were satisfactory in all but one patient, who has had recurring strictures. The hospital cost for a patient according to basic assumptions was 100,280 SEK (about US$ 14,000). If the time in operating theatre could be shortened by 10 minutes, the stay in hospital reduced by one day, and the complication rate halved, the overall cost would be reduced by 14.3%. Consequently we believe that staged reconstruction remains an attractive alternative in cases of hypospadias with marked curvation of the penis.