Onlay island flap urethroplasty: variation on a theme

Abstract

The onlay island flap urethroplasty is useful in patients with distal, mid shaft and proximal hypospadias who have a well developed urethral plate and exhibit little or no curvature after release of chordee. The technique described has 2 main features: 1) use of the entire inner prepuce of the foreskin facilitates its mobilization and protects the vascular pedicle, and 2) additional soft tissue coverage is gained by removing the excess preputial mucosa not used for the neourethra. This extra soft tissue covering of the suture lines should prevent fistula formation. During the last 4 1/2 years the onlay island flap has been used for repair of hypospadias in 61 patients. The complication rate (6%) is low and compares favorably with other techniques. Further refinements in the onlay flap hypospadias repair should decrease the complication rate and widen its applicability.