Open-ended urethral catheters reduce catheter obstruction after hypospadias repair

Backgrounds: Urethral catheter obstruction is a notable issue that pediatric patients with hypospadias may encounter in the early postoperative period. This retrospective study aims to assess the efficacy of open-ended urethral catheters with 2 side holes in mitigating catheter obstruction in pediatric patients following hypospadias repair.

Materials and methods: The clinical data of pediatric patients who underwent hypospadias repair surgery from January 2021 to October 2023 were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into 2 groups. Those who used standard Foley catheters were referred to as Group A, while those who used modified open-ended catheters were referred to as Group B. The primary outcome was the incidence of catheter obstruction within 7 days postoperatively.

Results: A total of 297 patients were included in this study, with 142 patients in Group A and 155 patients in Group B. In Group A, there were 12 cases of catheter obstruction, with 10 cases resolved through irrigation and 2 cases requiring additional catheters insertion by suprapubic bladder punctures. In Group B, only 4 cases experienced catheter obstruction, which were effectively and easily resolved through maneuver irrigation. The incidence of catheter obstruction in Group B was statistically significantly lower than that in Group A (2.6% vs. 8.5%, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: In pediatric hypospadias patients who underwent surgical repair, the use of open-ended urethral catheters with 2 side holes significantly diminishes the incidence of postoperative catheter obstruction. This simple technique is worthy of promotion.