ABSTRACT

Epidemiologic studies have suggested that the incidence of congenital penile anomalies, particularly hypospadias, is increasing in the last three decades. In this study we aimed to assess the prevalence of congenital penile anomalies (CPA). Risk factors, which were thought to be related, were examined in male children attending school and nursery in the Northeast of Turkey. A total of 2040 male students from 14 nurseries and 18 primary schools in the Erzurum city urban Center/ Turkey participated in the study. All children were examined by one single expert doctor, a pediatric surgeon, in a room which was previously isolated by the school and at a suitable temperature. The total penile abnormalities, penile torsion and hypospadias prevalances were found to be 7.3%, 6.52% and 0.78%ü, respectively. The frequency of genitoscrotum abnormalities in families (father and siblings) was found to be 4.3% for hypospadias. The degree of the penile torsion was at the most 45 with 32% and 90 with 25%.  The least was 70 and 120 degrees with 0.78%. The effects of environmental agents on the development of congenital abnormalities have not been researched in our country.  Publications, which indicate an increase in CPA incidences in various geographical regions over a short period of 30 years does not make it possible to render this situation by way of genetic transfer.  On the other hand, contrary to some publications, our current study shows a high number of CPA in other family members form the same family, nevertheless, this situation cannot be explained with genetic transfer as it does not contain statistical meaning.  However, an explanation with environmental contamination is possible. For us to find CPA incidences in our study parallel to the highest value in the world in general puts forth that the use of environmental agents used in our country and region and its widespread should be put under control and that further studies should be carried out.