MediGence: Enabling Better Health Decisions

Hypospadias is a condition which implies abnormal positioning of the external urethral orifice or the urinary meatus. In other words, the meatus is the opening of the urethra through which the urine leaves or exists the body. In male, the urinary meatus is situated at the distal position of the penis, through which both urine and semen leaves the body. However, in a number of cases, the boy gets born with the opening being situated anywhere on the penile shaft (even near the scrotum which is known as proximal hypospadias), but the tip. This condition is known as hypospadias. The condition is treated via hypospadias surgery, which is important and needs to be performed for a healthy life in future. Though men of any age (even adults) can undergo this surgery, it is preferred by performed during full-term or in healthy baby boys between six months to one year of age.

Hypospadias surgery is a correction procedure performed to reposition the urinary meatus in boys or men, who take birth with an abnormal positioning of the opening. This particular birth defect is very common which makes the surgery one of the most commonly performed procedure. Distal hypospadias surgery rectifies and positions the meatus at the tip of the male penis and closes the opening situated elsewhere. Every 1 among 199 boys are born with this defect and the procedure is completely safe.

Hypospadias surgery is not a complete procedure and has been implemented on boys and men since the 1800s. However, the present day method of treatment have been introduced not before the 1980s. Besides, the modern advancements have given birth to several techniques which are not only beneficial but also highly efficient, which is why, a large of candisates are resorting to the different approaches to hypospadias surgery. Although the Tubularized Incised Plate, abbreviated as the TIP is one of the most commonly opted techniques, yet the different approaches to hypospadias surgery are:

Primary tubularization
Local pedicle skin flap
Tissue-grafting method
Meatal advancement technique

The hypospadias surgery is usually a minor one if it does not involve any complication. Post-surgery a catheter may be affixed with few stitches to hold the urine, for a period of one to two weeks. Henceforth which, the candidate shall be able to urinate without any discomfort. However, complete recovery after the procedure may take up to six months. Apart from this, follow up treatments may also be required for candidates who experience a second hole on the shaft, infection, scarring or any other complication.