Conclusions Compared to the placebo or manual reduction method , the topical steroid therapy is more effective in the treatment of phimosis in children .
Although there is still controversy in the different type and dosage of steroid , this could be used against phimosis before circumcision
Abstract Purpose We evaluated a systematic review on the therapeutic efficacy of topical steroids in children with phimosis to provide data for the clinical options of pediatric phimosis .
An 18-month follow-up study after randomized treatment of phimosis in boys with topical steroid versus placebo
Objective To evaluate the treatment of  phimosis  using topical steroid . Material and methods This was a follow-up study after a prospect i ve , r and omized , double-blind study . A total of 137 boys with phimosis were r and omly assigned to either betamethasone treatment or placebo for 4 weeks , with application of the cream twice daily . Non-responders to treatment were offered steroid treatment for a further 4 weeks . All patients were invited to a follow-up examination after 18 months . Results The mean pre-treatment phimosis grade s in the steroid and control groups were 5.08±0.66 and 4.97±0.70 , respectively . At the 4-week follow-up , 49 boys ( 74 % ) in the steroid group were cured , compared to only 31 ( 44 % ) in the control group . Fourteen boys were circumcised after another 4 weeks of treatment ; 43 of the remaining 57 boys ( 17 in the steroid group ; 40 in the control group ) had been cured . After a total of 92 boys took part in the 18-month follow-up study : 79 had been cured and 13 had suffered a relapse . Twenty-six patients did not took part in the follow-up investigation . No side-effects were noted . Conclusions When treatment is necessary for phimosis , we recommend application of topical steroid as first-line treatment because surgery can then be avoided in 85 % of cases . This first r and omized , double-blind , follow-up study shows that the treatment effect persists for at least 18 months
Conclusions Compared to the placebo or manual reduction method , the topical steroid therapy is more effective in the treatment of phimosis in children .
Although there is still controversy in the different type and dosage of steroid , this could be used against phimosis before circumcision
Abstract Purpose We evaluated a systematic review on the therapeutic efficacy of topical steroids in children with phimosis to provide data for the clinical options of pediatric phimosis .