Surgical management of post-circumcision webbed penis in children

OBJECTIVE: To report the outcomes of surgical correction of post-circumcision webbed penis using two previously described techniques: the Heineke-Mikulicz (HM) scrotoplasty and the multiple Z-plasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study of children with post-circumcision webbed penis was conducted. The patients were classified into two groups according to the degree of web and the remaining ventral penile skin as to whether adequate or short after circumcision. Group I was repaired by HM scrotoplasty and in Group II the multiple Z-plasty technique was used. RESULTS: This study included 86 patients of whom 71 maintained follow-up; 44 (62%) in Group I and 27 (38%) in Group II. The median (range) operative time was 45 (30–55) min in Group I and 75 (60–90) min in Group II. Wound infection occurred in two (4.5%) patients in Group I. In Group II postoperative mild self-limited penile oedema was present in three patients (11.1%). A self-limited scrotal haematoma developed in two (7.4%) patients. CONCLUSION: Correction of post-circumcision webbed penis in children can be done by one of two techniques: HM scrotoplasty in Grade 1 and multiple Z-plasty in Grade 2 and Grade 3, with favourable outcomes. ABBREVIATIONS: HM: Heineke-Mikulicz; IQR: interquartile range