Hypospadias Overview
Learn About Hypospadias
Hypospadias is a birth (congenital) defect in which the opening of the urethra is on the underside of the penis. The urethra is the tube that carries urine and semen through the penis and outside the body. In males, the opening of the urethra is normally at the end of the penis.
Hypospadias occurs in about 1 in 200 newborn boys in the United States. The cause is often unknown.
Certain factors may be associated with the condition, such as:
- Family history
- Genetic factors that affect how the urethra develops
- Maternal age over 35
- Maternal overweight or obesity
- Premature birth
- Low birth weight
Other factors may also play a role:
- Exposure to certain hormones
- Exposure to substances in the environment
Symptoms depend on how severe the problem is.
Most often, boys with this condition have the opening of the urethra near the tip of the penis on the underside.
More severe forms of hypospadias occur when the opening is in the middle or base of the penis. Rarely, the opening is located in or behind the scrotum.
This condition may cause the penis to curve down during an erection. Erections are common in infant boys.
Other symptoms include:
- Problems peeing without it spraying to the side or down (this can make it difficult to urinate while standing)
- Foreskin that makes the penis looks like it has a "hood"
Some boys with hypospadias have one or both testicles that have not moved down into the scrotum (undescended testicle).
The goals of treatment are:
- To ensure that urine and semen can pass normally through the urethra
- To have the opening of the urethra at or near the tip of the penis
- To correct any curvature so the penis is straight during an erection
Infants with hypospadias should not be circumcised. The foreskin should be kept intact for use in later surgical repair.
In most cases, surgery is done before the child starts school. Most urologists recommend repair when the child is between 6 and 12 months and before 18 months old. During the surgery, the penis is straightened and the opening is corrected using tissue grafts from the foreskin. For more complex cases, the repair may require several surgeries.
In some cases, if the hypospadias is very mild and there is no curve in the penis, surgery may be optional. However, even very mild cases may need to be repaired to prevent possible future problems. It's important to discuss the benefits and risks of treatment with your health care provider when deciding what is best for your child.
Banner-University Medical Group
Matthew Gretzer is an Urologist in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Gretzer and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hypospadias. His top areas of expertise are Urethral Stricture, Enlarged Prostate (BPH), Stress Urinary Incontinence, Reconstructive Urology Surgery, and Ureteroscopy. Dr. Gretzer is currently accepting new patients.
Tmc Medical Network
Richard Ashley is an Urologist in Douglas, Arizona. Dr. Ashley and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hypospadias. His top area of expertise is Hypospadias. Dr. Ashley is currently accepting new patients.
Grace Yoshiba is a Pediatrics provider in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Yoshiba and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hypospadias. Her top areas of expertise are Hypotonia and Hypospadias.
Results after surgery are most often good. In some cases, more surgery is needed to correct:
- Fistulas (abnormal connection between the urethra and skin)
- Narrowing of the urethra
- A return of the abnormal penis curve
Most males can have normal adult sexual activity.
Contact your provider if your son has:
- A curved penis during an erection
- Opening to the urethra that is not on the tip of the penis
- Incomplete (hooded) foreskin
Summary: Hypospadias is a frequent malformation. The definition of hypospadias is a ventral tissues hypoplasia, with an abnormal position of the urethral meatus, a chordee of the penis and an open foreskin. It can be associate with other genital malformation; in that case it can be classified in the wider field of the disorder of sex development (DSD). There is a lot of surgical technics for those malforma...
Summary: proximal hypospadias presents a serious anomaly for both infants and their care givers. a variety of techniques were described through decades. None of them is completely curable. hundred of modifications were adopted to the original techniques. during the current study, we will do hybrid Duckett urethroplasty which is a staged procedure and compare it to modified Duckett urethroplasty which is a ...
Published Date: March 31, 2024
Published By: Sovrin M. Shah, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Chan Y-M, Hannema SE, Achermann JC, Hughes IA. Disorders of sex development. In: Melmed S, Auchus, RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 24.
Di Carlo HN, Crigger CB. Anomalies of the penis and urethra. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 581.
Long CJ, Zaontz MR, Canning DA. Hypospadias. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 45.