Risk factors and timing of complication presentation following primary hypospadias repair in adolescents

Abstract

ObjectivesTo evaluate the risk factors for postoperative complications in adolescents who undergo primary hypospadias repair and determine the time required for complication detection.MethodsOur study included patients classified as Tanner stages three to five who underwent primary hypospadias repairs at our hospital from January 2015 to August 2022. The patients' baseline information, clinical characteristics, postoperative complications, and time to complication detection were collected. Cox regression analysis, ROC curves, Kaplan–Meier survival analyses, and the Mann–Whitney U test were used.ResultsThe study comprised 143 patients, with a median age of 12.58 years. Postoperative complications were experienced by 66 patients. The length of the urethral defect was identified as an independent risk factor for postoperative complications. The ROC curve analysis identified 3 cm as the optimal cutoff value for the length of the urethral defect. The median time to complication detection was 30.5 days (IQR 23 to 209.25). 89.4% of the complications were identified within the first year. Patients with a urethral defect of <3 cm experienced a significantly longer time for the detection of urethral fistula compared to those with a urethral defect of ≥3 cm (p = 0.047).ConclusionsOur data indicate that adolescents with a urethral defect ≥3 cm have a higher risk of postoperative complications. Although most complications were identified within the first year, conducting long‐term follow‐ups for adolescents is recommended to identify potential subsequent complications that may arise from persistent urethral alterations.