[A ventral slit of the prepuce in phimosis]

The appearance of the penis after circumcision is frequently not appreciated favourably by the patients nor their parents. An alternative surgical method in phimosis is a ventral slit of the prepuce. When properly indicated, an almost normal appearance of the prepuce is preserved. This operation was performed in 25 boys. An ideal result, where an almost normal shape of the prepuce is preserved and the latter can be drawn over the glans, was achieved in 19 patients. In four boys the prepuce can be freely drawn over the glans but a slight strangulation ring forms. A relapse of phimosis occurred in two boys. The authors recommend to use ventral slit of the prepuce instead of circumcision in children with phimosis, when the prepuce is sufficiently long. The method is not suitable for short prepuces with cicatricial phimosis.