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Subject: Re: hypospadius
Forum: The Urology Forum
Topic Area: Pediatric Urology
Posted by HFHS M.D.-KR on December 13, 1998 at 16:54:36:
In Reply to: hypospadius posted by Cindy on November 24, 1998 at 20:48:32:
I have a question reguarding hypospadius (not sure on spelling).
My 6 yr old son was born with this deformitiy of his penis. His
Pediatrition refered us to see a urologist. The urologist
explained about the condition and we discussed the option of
surgery. We decided to wait since it was not causing any
complications with him urinating, ect. My son had a drs. appt.
today. His regular doctor was not in, and he was seen by one of
his associates. He was very insistant that we go see the urologist
again and discuss having the surgery. My son is still not having
any complications with this condition. I dont want to put him thru
an unneccasary surgery. Could you explain the pros and cons of
waiting to have the surgery. Thank you. Cindy------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Cindy, Hypospadias is a condition characterized by underdevelopment of the underside of the penis . this results in an abnormal position of the urethral meatus ( opening for urination ). The severity of hypospadias can range from a urethral meatus only a few millimeters from its normal position to a meatus in the scrotum.
The treatment is surgical. There are many procedures that are generally tailored to the severity of the hypospadias. There are two main potential complication from surgical repair. These are urethrocutaneous fistula formation which occurs in about 5 to 15 % of repairs. These fistulas occur because the skin on the underside of the penis that is used to create the new urethral meatus is very fragile and can breakdown. The fistulas are also fixed surgically. They are not painful and do not cause any long-term problems. The second complication that can occur is stricture ( narrowing) of the new urethral meatus . This can usually be treated by a minor procedure in the operating room called meatoplasty which takes 5 to 10 minutes to perform.
Hypospadias is repaired for two reasons. First, when the meatus is in an abnormal position, the adult male may not ejaculate into the vagina during intercourse. This may be due to the position of the meatus or a curvature of the penis that very often accompanies hypospadias called Chordee. Chordee can make vaginal penetration difficult, painful or impossible depending on its severity. The end result of all of this is that it decreases his chances of fathering a child. The second reason to repair the hypospadias is cosmetic so that he will have a normal, penis.
When choosing a urologist to perform the procedure to repair your sons hypospadias make sure that he/she is well-trained in this area. A urologist that specializes in pediatric problems is best suited for this procedure. This information is provided for general medical education purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653 6568). HFHS MD-KR
*keyword : hypospadias
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