Table 1

Characteristics of included studies

S/NStudiesSettingStudy periodDesignPatients
(n)		Mean age (months)Type of hypospadiasSuturing technique and materialsF/U (months)Reported outcomes
1Cimador et al.12Italy1991–2001Bidirectional336
(254 in group A and 82 in group B)		Not mentionedSubcoronal
Distal
Mid-shaft
Proximal		Group A: PG 6/0 (254 patients)
Group B: PDS 7/0 (82 patients)
Continuous subcuticular
Second layer: dartos flap		Not mentionedUCF
US
2Khalid et al.9Pakistan2009–2016Multicentric RCT200
(100 in each group)		Group A: 3.7±1.8 years (1.6–9.6 years)
Group B: 3.6±1.6 years (1.8–8.9 years)		Anterior hypospadiasGroup A: PG 6/0 (100 patients)
Group B: PDS 6/0 (100 patients)
Interrupted subcuticular
Second layer: dartos flap		6 monthsUCF
WI
MS
UCF+MS
3Shirazi et al.15IranJanuary 2012–December 2018Cross-sectional study (bidirectional)583
(298 in group A and 285 in group B)		Complicated group: 3±1.32 years
Uncomplicated group: 3.1±1.15 years		Distal
Mid-shaft
Proximal		Group A: PG 6/0 (298 patients)
Group B: PDS 6/0 (285 patients)
TIP
Second layer: dartos flap
TVS		2 yearsUCF
MS
US
GD
4Mohamed Ali Alaraby et al.13SudanJune 2015–November 2016Prospective cross-sectional comparative study105 (50 in group A and 55 in group B)Group A: 5.7±4.3 years
Group B: 5.1±3.9 years		Distal
Mid-shaft
Proximal
Perineal		Group A: PG 6/0 (50 patients)
Group B: PDS 6/0 (55 patients)
Second layer: dartos flap		6 monthsOverall complications
UCF
MS
5Fakhr14Lahore2018 (6 months)Comparative prospective study20
(10 in each group)		5.4 years (2–11 years)Anterior hypospadiasGroup A: PG 6/0 (10 patients)
Group B: PDS 6/0 (10 patients)		6–9 monthsTotal complications
Erythema
Edema
Bleeding
UCF
WI

  • F/U, follow-up; GD, glans dehiscence; MS, meatal stenosis; PDS, polydioxanone; PG, polyglactin; RCT, randomized controlled trial; TIP, tubularized incised plate; UCF, urethrocutaneous fistula; US, urethral stricture; WI, wound infection.