Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 02/17/2009
In addition to the risks of bleeding and infection that are common to all operations under general anesthesia, there are some risks specific to hypospadias repair:
- Wound dehiscence. Dehiscence means that the incision splits apart or reopens....
It is treated by a follow-up operation. - Bladder spasms. These are a reaction to the presence of a urinary catheter, and are treated by giving medications to relax the bladder muscles.
- Fistula formation. A fistula is an abnormal opening that forms between the reconstructed urethra and the skin. Most fistulae that form after hypospadias surgery close by themselves within a few months. The remainder can be closed surgically.
- Recurrent chordee. This complication requires another operation to remove excess fibrous tissue.
- Urethral stenosis. Narrowing of the urethral opening after surgery is treated by dilating the meatus with urethral probes.
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Definition:
Hypospadias repair is surgery to correct a birth defect in boys in which the urethra does not properly exit the tip of the penis.
For information on the condition itself, see: Hypospadias.
Description:
The surgery is done while the child is under general anesthesia (asleep and pain-free). The type of repair depends on the severity of the defect. Mild defects may be repaired in a one procedure, while severe defects may require two or more procedures.
A small piece of foreskin, or tissue from another site, can be used to create a tube to extend the length of the urethra. The urethra is the tube that releases urine from the body. Extending the length allows an opening to be placed at the tip of the penis.
Circumcision should not be performed at birth in boys with hypospadias, so that the foreskin can later be used for the repair.
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-Arul Chinnaiyan
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