The effect of urethral catheter size on meatal stenosis formation in children undergoing tubularized incised plate urethroplasty.
OBJECTIVE
Meatal stenosis is still a common problem in tubularized incised plate urethroplasty. In this study, we aimed to seek for a relationship between the size of urethral catheter and meatal stenosis formation in children undergoing tubularized incised plate urethroplasty.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 83 children who underwent tubularized incised plate urethroplasty for hypospadias. The whole group was classified into the groups A and B based on the catheter size. One group (group A) consisted of 44 patients (mean age, 4.82 ± 3.83 years) with tubularized neourethra over a 6 Fr catheter, while the other group (group B) included 39 patients (mean age, 5.19 ± 3.83 years) with tubularized neourethra over a 8 Fr catheter.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences between the groups according to their age, location of urethral meatus, dehiscence and urethrocutaneous fistula formation. Meatal stenosis formation in group B was markedly higher than that in group A. Number of meatal dilatation was higher in group B compared to group A.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that the tubularization of urethral plate over a small-sized (6 Fr) catheter, regardless of the age of the patients, prevents meatal stenosis by reducing foreign body reaction and pressure injury and by hindering secondary healing.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Gaziantep Children Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Suleyman Cuneyt
SC
Karakus
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Gaziantep Children Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Naim
N
Koku
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Gaziantep Children Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Mehmet Ergun
ME
Parmaksiz
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Gaziantep Children Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Idris
I
Ertaskin
Department of Pediatric Surgery,Faculty of Medicine, BezmialemVakif University, Istanbul, Turkey. hkilincaslan@yahoo.com.tr.
Huseyin
H
Kilincaslan
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Servergazi State Hospital, Denizli, Turkey.
Hasan
H
Deliaga
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D004106:Dilatation; D006801:Humans; D007021:Hypospadias / Q000601:surgery; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019738:Surgically-Created Structures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D062885:Urinary Catheters / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014548:Urinary Fistula / Q000209:etiology