Hypospadias
1. What is hypospadias?
It is a birth defect affecting the penis. In boys born with hypospadias, the urethra (tube that carries urine from bladder to outside of the body) does not form normally, so the urethral opening (hole that the urine comes out from) is in the wrong place.
The urethral opening can be closed to the tip, along the penile shaft, or down at the scrotum.
2. Why does your child need surgery to correct hypospadias?
Surgery is needed for many of the cases because passage of urine and/ or the erection of the penis is/are affected.
Apart from the abnormal urethral opening, many affected children often have the associated conditions, for example
a/ chordee, which is the downwards curving of the penile shaft
b/ meatal stenosis, which is the narrowing of the urine hole
c/ penile torsion, which is rotational problem along its longitudinal axis
d/ dorsal hood of foreskin, which there is relatively short foreskin on the downside of the penis
For less severe hypospadias (when the urethral opening is close to the tip), treatment may be mainly for cosmetic concern.
3. How to treat your child with hypospadias?
Surgery mainly aims to create a new urethra that has an opening in the right place and ensure the penis is straight especially during erectile state. Some boys may need more than one surgery to repair the hypospadias. In boys who might need surgery, they should hold off on circumcision, allowing the surgeon to use the skin that would normally be removed during circumcision to rebuild parts of the penis.