Age-specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross-sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias management

Abstract To define age-related ranges for normal urethral length in different pediatric age groups and to demonstrate the clinical impact of using these reference ranges during hypospadias repair. cohort of 501 male children and adolescents (aged 0–18 years) requiring indwelling catheters during hos...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yan Li, Junfeng Zhao, Jing Zhang, Hehe Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07330-w
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849769039788769280
author Yan Li
Junfeng Zhao
Jing Zhang
Hehe Chen
author_facet Yan Li
Junfeng Zhao
Jing Zhang
Hehe Chen
author_sort Yan Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract To define age-related ranges for normal urethral length in different pediatric age groups and to demonstrate the clinical impact of using these reference ranges during hypospadias repair. cohort of 501 male children and adolescents (aged 0–18 years) requiring indwelling catheters during hospitalization was enrolled. Urethral and penile lengths were measured, and participants were stratified into eight age groups. Additionally, 47 hypospadias patients undergoing urethroplasty were randomly divided into two groups: Group A (empirical catheter depth: 13–15 cm) and Group B (the 95th percentile of measurement-based catheterization depth). Postoperative symptoms were compared between groups. Mean urethral length was 12.8 cm (SD = 3.3), showing strong positive correlations with age, height, weight, and BMI (Spearman’s ρ = 0.66–0.88, p < 0.001). Group B exhibited fewer postoperative symptoms (hematuria, pain, urinary overflow) than Group A (χ2 = 23.44, p < 0.05 and χ²=23.17, p < 0.0001). Our center cross-sectional study systematically established, for the first time, age-related reference ranges for normal urethral length in pediatric populations, filling a gap in the standardization of developmental anatomy. The application of these reference values in hypospadias repair surgery demonstrated that individualized urethral reconstruction catheterization based on age groups partly reduced postoperative complication rates.
format Article
id doaj-art-d358f5f3ba474ca5bb2f8d4e156a41d1
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-d358f5f3ba474ca5bb2f8d4e156a41d12025-08-20T03:03:36ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511610.1038/s41598-025-07330-wAge-specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross-sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias managementYan Li0Junfeng Zhao1Jing Zhang2Hehe Chen3Department of Pediatrics Surgery, Women and Children’s Hospital of Ningbo UniversityDepartment of Pediatrics Surgery, Women and Children’s Hospital of Ningbo UniversityDepartment of Surgical Nursing, Women and Children’s Hospital of Ningbo UniversityDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, Women and Children’s Hospital of Ningbo UniversityAbstract To define age-related ranges for normal urethral length in different pediatric age groups and to demonstrate the clinical impact of using these reference ranges during hypospadias repair. cohort of 501 male children and adolescents (aged 0–18 years) requiring indwelling catheters during hospitalization was enrolled. Urethral and penile lengths were measured, and participants were stratified into eight age groups. Additionally, 47 hypospadias patients undergoing urethroplasty were randomly divided into two groups: Group A (empirical catheter depth: 13–15 cm) and Group B (the 95th percentile of measurement-based catheterization depth). Postoperative symptoms were compared between groups. Mean urethral length was 12.8 cm (SD = 3.3), showing strong positive correlations with age, height, weight, and BMI (Spearman’s ρ = 0.66–0.88, p < 0.001). Group B exhibited fewer postoperative symptoms (hematuria, pain, urinary overflow) than Group A (χ2 = 23.44, p < 0.05 and χ²=23.17, p < 0.0001). Our center cross-sectional study systematically established, for the first time, age-related reference ranges for normal urethral length in pediatric populations, filling a gap in the standardization of developmental anatomy. The application of these reference values in hypospadias repair surgery demonstrated that individualized urethral reconstruction catheterization based on age groups partly reduced postoperative complication rates.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07330-wUrethral lengthPenile lengthGenitourinaryUrethroplasty
spellingShingle Yan Li
Junfeng Zhao
Jing Zhang
Hehe Chen
Age-specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross-sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias management
Scientific Reports
Urethral length
Penile length
Genitourinary
Urethroplasty
title Age-specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross-sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias management
title_full Age-specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross-sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias management
title_fullStr Age-specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross-sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias management
title_full_unstemmed Age-specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross-sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias management
title_short Age-specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross-sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias management
title_sort age specific reference values for normal urethral length derived from cross sectional analysis and implications in hypospadias management
topic Urethral length
Penile length
Genitourinary
Urethroplasty
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07330-w
work_keys_str_mv AT yanli agespecificreferencevaluesfornormalurethrallengthderivedfromcrosssectionalanalysisandimplicationsinhypospadiasmanagement
AT junfengzhao agespecificreferencevaluesfornormalurethrallengthderivedfromcrosssectionalanalysisandimplicationsinhypospadiasmanagement
AT jingzhang agespecificreferencevaluesfornormalurethrallengthderivedfromcrosssectionalanalysisandimplicationsinhypospadiasmanagement
AT hehechen agespecificreferencevaluesfornormalurethrallengthderivedfromcrosssectionalanalysisandimplicationsinhypospadiasmanagement