Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an instrument that allows assessment and comparison of penile perception of patients, parents and surgeons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 77 boys 6 to 17 years old who had undergone hypospadias repair were interviewed by a psychologist with a standardized questionnaire concerning penile self-perception with regard to meatus, glans, skin and general appearance. The Pediatric Penile Perception Score was derived from the sum of these 4 items. The results were compared with a control group of age matched boys following inguinal hernia repair. Parents were asked via questionnaire to report the penile appearance of their son using the Pediatric Penile Perception Score. A total of 56 patients accepted standardized photographic documentation, and their pictures were sent for evaluation with the Pediatric Penile Perception Score to 6 blinded urologists. RESULTS: The Pediatric Penile Perception Score allowed us to assess perception of the genitalia by patients, parents and urologists. Statistical analysis of the Pediatric Penile Perception Score assigned by the urologist revealed good interrater reliability (interclass correlation 0.75 to 0.88) and stability (r = 0.59 to 0.83). Intercorrelation of the items "meatus," "glans" and "skin" with "general appearance" was good among the boys, parents and urologists. Patients with hypospadias expressed high satisfaction with the penile appearance, which did not differ significantly from age matched controls. However, parents and urologists were less satisfied with the penile appearance than were the patients themselves. CONCLUSIONS: The Pediatric Penile Perception Score is a reliable instrument to assess penile self-perception in children after hypospadias repair, and for appraisal of the surgical result by parents and uninvolved urologists.