SIMPLE TECHNIQUE FOR STENT FIXATION IN HYPOSPADIAS REPAIR

Purpose: Many pediatric surgeons do not leave urethral-stents after hypospadias repair. However, many others still do. We present a simple technique for stent- fixation. 
Patients and methods: between April/2002 and April/2004, 36 hypospadias cases were treated by the author. For hypospadias proximal to mid-glans ( 29 cases,80.5% ), a stent was left behind as a routine. Fifteen boys (51.7%) had their stents draining in urinary-bags and 14 (48.2%) in their diapers. The stent was fixed by wrapping a small adhesive-plaster piece (2x1 cm) around the stent, just distal to the meatus , leaving a small mesentery of 10 mm. A stitch of non-absorbable suture was passed through this mesentery, without transfixing the stent, then fasten the two suture ends together lightly around the plaster. The two suture ends were tied to the glanular tension-stitch applied at the start of the procedure. Then normal dressing was done. 
Results: The cases came to the follow-up with no problems related to stent- fixation . No accidental stent- migration was observed. Two cases (6.8%) had partial stent-blockage at the bladder-end. 
Conclusion: This simple technique for stent- fixation is easy, cheap and suitable for any type of dressing.