Factors affecting outcome of tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty: Single-center experience with 500 cases

PurposeTo review our experience of tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty in children with hypospadias defects.MethodsOf 500 children (mean age 6 years) who received a TIP urethroplasty, 439 (87.8%) had primary hypospadias and 61 had one failed previous repair. The hypospadias defects were coronal in 110 (22%), distal penile in 261 (52.2%), midpenile in 78 (15.6%) and proximal in 51 (10.2%). Chordee was present in 98 (19.6%) patients. Presence of complications requiring re-operation and overall general appearance was recorded.ResultsThe mean (SD, range) follow-up was 34 (18, 7–77) months. Overall success rate was 81.4%. Re-operation was required in 93 patients (18.6%); for urethrocutaneous fistula in 47 (9.4%), complete disruption of the repair in 32 (6.4%) and meatal stenosis in 14 (2.8%). In univariate analysis, complications were significantly higher in stented repairs, posterior hypospadias, those with no neourethral coverage (spongioplasty), and repairs early in the study. The last three factors were the only significant independent risk factors in multivariate analysis.ConclusionsTIP is a reliable method for treating both distal and proximal hypospadias and is suitable for both primary and re-operative cases with a low rate of complications. A significantly better outcome is achieved with distal hypospadias, covering the neourethra with the mobilized corpus spongiosum (spongioplasty) or a flap, and experience. Stenting of the repair, patient age, or previous failed repair has no statistically significant impact on outcome.