Topical corticosteroids offer an effective alternative for treating phimosis in boys .
Although sub optimal reporting among the included studies meant that the size of the effect remains uncertain , corticosteroids appear to be a safe , less invasive first-line treatment option before undertaking surgery to correct phimosis in boys
BACKGROUND Until recently , phimosis has been treated surgically by circumcision or prepuceplasty ; however , recent reports of non-invasive treatment using topical corticosteroids applied for four to eight weeks have been favourable .
The efficacy and safety of topical corticosteroids for treating phimosis in boys has not been previously systematic ally review ed .
OBJECTIVES We aim ed to 1 ) compare the effectiveness of the use of topical corticosteroid ointment applied to the distal stenotic portion of the prepuce in the resolution of phimosis in boys compared with the use of placebo or no treatment , and 2 ) determine the rate of partial resolution ( improvement ) of phimosis , rate of re-stenosis after initial resolution or improvement of phimosis , and the rate of adverse events of topical corticosteroid treatment in boys with phimosis .
Topical hydrocortisone and physiotherapy for nonretractile physiologic phimosis in infants
The effect of hydrocortisone ( HC ) , the steroid of lowest potency , and physiotherapy ( PT ) on non-retractile physiologic phimosis ( PP ) and the reduction of subsequent recurrent UTI was evaluated in male infants with UTI . Seventy-eight male infants with febrile UTI and nonretractile PP were prospect ively r and omized into HC ( Plancol , n=39 ) and control ( Vaseline , n=39 ) groups . Topical application of HC as a thin film around the preputial margin twice a day for four weeks with PT was instructed . The response rate in the HC group was 89.7 % ( 35/39 ) , which was significantly higher than the rate ( 20.5 % ; 8/39 ) in the control group ( P<0.05 ) . In the HC group , the response rate was much higher ( 96.1 % ) in the subgroup with PT than in the group without PT . Most of the response ( 88.5 % ) was observed within two weeks . During the following year , the recurrent rate of UTI was 7.1 % ( 2/28 ) in the infants with retractile prepuces , which was significantly less than than the rate ( 29.6 % ; 8/27 ) in infants with nonretractile prepuces ( P<0.05 ) . In conclusion , topical HC and PT for 2–4 weeks proved to be a simple , safe and effective treatment for nonretractile PP in infants with UTI , and this procedure was beneficial in reducing recurrent UTI
Topical corticosteroids offer an effective alternative for treating phimosis in boys .
Although sub optimal reporting among the included studies meant that the size of the effect remains uncertain , corticosteroids appear to be a safe , less invasive first-line treatment option before undertaking surgery to correct phimosis in boys
BACKGROUND Until recently , phimosis has been treated surgically by circumcision or prepuceplasty ; however , recent reports of non-invasive treatment using topical corticosteroids applied for four to eight weeks have been favourable .
The efficacy and safety of topical corticosteroids for treating phimosis in boys has not been previously systematic ally review ed .
OBJECTIVES We aim ed to 1 ) compare the effectiveness of the use of topical corticosteroid ointment applied to the distal stenotic portion of the prepuce in the resolution of phimosis in boys compared with the use of placebo or no treatment , and 2 ) determine the rate of partial resolution ( improvement ) of phimosis , rate of re-stenosis after initial resolution or improvement of phimosis , and the rate of adverse events of topical corticosteroid treatment in boys with phimosis .