Hypospadias
Most boys are born with a penis that looks normal and works well. Some boys are born with a condition called hypospadias. Hypospadias results in a penis that can have problems working normally and doesn't look normal. There are a variety of surgical techniques to fix this problem. The following information should help you speak to your son's urologist about this.
Archived from the 2024 edition
Overview
Hypospadias is fairly common, being found in about 1 in every 200 boys. It is a condition where the urethral opening (meatus) isn't at the tip of the penis. Instead, the opening may be any place along the underside of the penis. The meatus is most often near the end of the penis (which is called a "distal" position). In some cases, it can be on the middle of the penile shaft, the base of the penis or even within the scrotum (called "proximal" positions). Over 80% of boys with hypospadias have distal hypospadias. In 15% of those distal cases, the penis also curves downward slightly, a condition called "chordee." When the meatus opens further down the shaft, curvature occurs in more than 50% of patients.
In most cases, hypospadias is the only developmental problem in these infants and doesn't imply there are other flaws in the urinary system or other organs.
In this entry
The archived page carried these sections, in this order.
- What is Hypospadias?
- How Does the Penis Normally Work?
- Causes
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- After Treatment
- Complications
- Check-ups after Surgery
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Is hypospadias passed through genes?