The management of moderate and severe congenital penile torsion associated with hypospadias: Urethral mobilisation is not a panacea against torsion

Risk factors for surgical complications and short-term outcomes evaluation after novel method of buried penis correction: A single-center experience

INTRODUCTION

Buried penis is a condition that causes the penis to appear entrapped in the subcutaneous fatty tissues. Its significant impact on quality of life affects children as well as adults. This study aims to determine the risk factors for short-term surgical complications and assess patient and surgeon satisfaction after buried penis reconstruction using complete degloving and excision of dartos tissue technique without penile anchoring suture.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed on all buried penis patients who underwent complete degloving and excision of dartos tissue by 3 different pediatric urologists at a single institution from July 2010-July 2020. The observation time point was taken from the last evaluation in the first 1 year postoperatively. Data were collected from questionnaires distributed to patients and surgeons. Patient demographics and perioperative data were extracted. Bivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for short-term surgical complications. Patients' and surgeons' postoperative satisfaction was likewise assessed based on penis size, morphology, and voiding function.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty-three patients of median age 12 (2-35) years with median follow-up of 6 (1-12) months were included. The median penis length were 2 (1-3.5) cm before surgery with 3 (0.5-7) cm postoperative penile length enhancement. The postoperative penis size were reported as "satisfied" or "very satisfied" by 99% of involved surgeons and 92% of patients. The morphology were reported as "satisfied" or "very satisfied" by 99% of involved surgeons and 88% of patients. Voiding function were reported as "satisfied" or "very satisfied" by 100% of involved surgeons and 99% of patients. Prolonged edema (19.5%) was reported as the most frequent complication. Poor skin gliding occurred in 10.5% of patients. Subjective penis pain was reported in 6% of patients. Five (3.8%) patients who reported being unsatisfied with their penis size had postoperative penile length enhancement of 2 (0.5-2.5) cm (p = 0.04). Trapped penis, uncorrected penile curvature, and dissatisfaction with the morphology were reported by one patient each. The uncorrected penile curvature has a correlation with the preoperative penile curvature (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Buried penis reconstruction using complete dartos excision without penile anchoring suture is regarded safe and effective by both patients and surgeons. Prolonged edema is a reversible complication that can occur during early postoperative follow up (≤3 months) and obesity can be considered as one of the independent predictors for prolonged edema occurrence.

Penile Degloving and Dorsal Dartos Flap Rotation Surgery in the Management of Severe Isolated Penile Torsion in a 6-Year-Old Boy

Penile torsion is a rare congenital anomaly that is usually characterized by a counterclockwise rotation of the penile shaft or glans. Although several surgical techniques for its correction have been proposed, the consensus of choosing the most efficient technique remains controversial. Herein, we report our operational approach that successfully corrected a severe (>90 degrees) isolated penile torsion in the form of penile degloving and dorsal dartos flap rotation surgery.

Penile torsion repair in children following a ladder step: simpler steps are usually sufficient

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the correction of different degrees of penile torsion following a ladder step so that simpler steps are used whenever possible. This can avoid the morbidity and complications of complex procedures.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Cases of congenital and acquired penile torsion were repaired on a ladder step basis irrespective of the degree of torsion, starting with degloving and skin realignment, then a dorsal dartos flap and finally corporopexy. The torsion is checked with artificial erection after each step, and if corrected completely then the next step(s) is omitted.

RESULTS

Twenty-five cases of penile torsion (30-180°) were repaired over a 4-year period. Three cases were corrected by degloving only, 12 by degloving and skin realignment, five by a dartos flap and four required a corporopexy. Postoperative complications included five cases of penile edema, one case of hematoma and one case of dorsal skin gangrene. Residual torsion of <15° occurred in three cases. No cases required redo surgery.

CONCLUSION

A ladder step approach is a good option for penile torsion repair, starting with simpler techniques until complete correction is achieved. There is no need to plan a complex procedure in advance.

Correction of penile torsion and chordee by mobilization of urethra with spongiosum in chordee without hypospadias

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the feasibility of correcting coexistent penile torsion and chordee without hypospadias by mobilization of the urethra and spongiosum.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of nine patients with simultaneous penile torsion and chordee without hypospadias was undertaken between January 2006 and December 2012. During this period, a total of 364 cases of hypospadias and 38 of chordee without hypospadias were operated on, making a total of 402 patients with hypospadias-related complexes. The same steps were used for correction of both torque and chordee. After a circumcoronal incision, the penis was fully degloved and the spongiosum with urethra was lifted up off the cavernosa. Next, mobilization of the hypoplastic urethra with spongiosum was extended into the glans. If chordee or torque persisted, urethral mobilization was performed proximally up to the bulbar urethra, as required. Spongioplasty and glansplasty were done and a per-urethral stent was kept in for three to five days.

RESULTS

The age of the patients ranged from 5 to 16 years (median 6 years). Penile torsion ranged from 30° to 120°, with a median of 75°. Ventral chordee ranged from 45° to 100°, with a median of 50°. A ratio of 1:9.6 was found for chordee without hypospadias compared to the total hypospadias cases, with an incidence of 9.5%. The ratio of chordee without hypospadias with torsion compared to the total hypospadias cases was 1:29. There was an incidence of chordee without hypospadias with penile torsion of 3.5% in all patients with hypospadias. The ratio of chordee without hypospadias with torsion to only chordee without hypospadias was 1:1.71, with an incidence of 37.0%. Every step contributed to the correction of curvature and torsion. Chordee was corrected in two patients by penile degloving and lifting of the spongiosa off the urethral plate; three patients required additional mobilization of the urethra into the glans. Another two patients needed proximal urethral mobilization and one required a dorsal plication. In five patients, torque was corrected by penile degloving, lifting of the spongiosa and mobilization of the urethra into the glans; four patients required further proximal urethral mobilization. All patients had excellent functional and cosmetic results. No residual chordee or torque was observed in any patient on follow-up at 12-24 months.

CONCLUSION

The technique of distally mobilizing a hypoplastic urethra with spongiosum from the corpora into the glans, and proximally up to the bulbar region corrects moderate to severe chordee and torsion with excellent cosmetic results. The incidence of torsion with chordee without hypospadias was 3.5% of all cases of hypospadias.