Family travels from England (UK) for Hypospadias repair surgery of their child to Navi Mumbai, India

Hypospadias remains one of the most common urological anomalies across the globe affecting almost 1/150 newborn boys. No nation or economic status or religion is exempt from its occurrence. The art and science of hypospadias treatment has evolved significantly in the last two years with a single stage repair of hypospadias a real possibility in most of the cases. The results of hypospadias surgery are of course better at centres where there are specialist hypospadias surgeons doing dedicated hypospadias treatment in large numbers every year. Even the complications of hypospadias surgeries decrease significantly with increasing experience. This was the aim with which we started Hypospadias Foundation in 2008. Now 6 years later, we are happy to provide excellent outcomes and give happiness to kids and families who travel to India from all over the world.

The Child from Great Britain

Master Narain was noted to have hypospadias as soon as he was born in England. The pediatrician advised the family to meet the pediatric surgeon or pediatric urologist when the child was three months old. Through the NHS system, the family went and met a Pediatric Surgeon who advised hypospadias repair surgery after 1.5-2 years of age.

Mother and father, both UK residents, were worried about delaying the surgery so much as somehow they felt that once the surgery is needed they better get it done at a younger age than a later age. They just couldn’t understand the point of waiting for the surgery which would anyway be required. With this dilemma about the age for hypospadias surgery, they contacted us at Hypospadias Foundation. After a few tele and online consultations they decided to travel to India for Hypospadias repair surgery with us at MITR Hospital in Navi Mumbai, India. We advised surgery between 6 months to one year of age. Finally, when Narain was 9 months old they traveled to India from England and visited us.

On examination, Narain had a distal penile hypospadias without any chordee. The urethral plate was pink and healthy and he seemed suitable for a single stage Hypospadias repair. Parents did not have too many questions and I was very surprised. When I asked, they said that they have read a lot of blogs written by me on hypospadias treatment and were upto date with what their son is going to go through. This was a very happy consultation indeed. Saved me time and energy but still I went through the pre and post hypospadias surgery routine with them explaining to them. They just nodded their heads and posted Narain for surgery one day later and meanwhile we got the blood/ urine tests and pre surgery fitness for anesthesia.

Surgery was done as first case in the morning the following day. Surgery was done under caudal analgesia and sevoflurane anesthesia. Since the urethral plate was good and the hypospadias was not very severe (distal penile hypospadias), we did a Tubularised incised plate urethroplasty also called Snodgrass repair urethroplasty. The surgery took only 75 minutes. Narain tolerated the procedure well and was to his usual playful self in a few hours after surgery. We sent him home by the next morning on usual oral medications for pain and bladder spasms and a mild antibiotic. One week later, the family visited us again in the outpatient clinic for removal of dressing and catheter. Narain passed urine well without any issues and had a good healing operative site at the time of hypospadias dressing removal. Another followup was scheduled at 10 days after catheter & dressing removal. Narain was passing urine in a good straight stream without any difficulty. Also the cosmetic result was excellent. The family was overjoyed and was able to travel back to England within three weeks of surgery. We requested the family to send us a short video of Narain passing urine and a few pictures of his penis at about 6 weeks and 3 months after surgery to confirm that everything has healed without any complication. We received these videos and pictures a week back and were happy to note that there was no complication of the surgery. We expect Narain to do very well and live a normal life after the hypospadias surgery.

About the author:

Dr A.K.Singal is a renowned Pediatric urologist and is considered one of the best hypospadias surgeons in India. He treats more than 100 kids with hypospadias every year at various hospitals in Navi Mumbai, Thane and Mumbai. Lot of kids travel from neighbouring cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Goa and as far as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Calcutta, Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai etc.

He can be contacted by filling up the form here: Contact form Dr A.K.Singal

Dr A.K.Singal during Hypospadias surgery

Watch Video of Distal Penile Hypospadias Repair Surgery by Dr A.K.Singal, expert hypospadias surgeon

Watch Video of Single stage surgery for severe scrotal hypospadias by Dr A.K.Singal, Hypospadias specialist surgeon

Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

Please fill all clinical details and upload pictures and clinical summaries (if available)

    Attach Documents (pdf | jpeg | mp4)
    (upload size upto 5mb)

    Letter from Afghanistan: 8 month old child undergoes successful hypospadias repair surgery at Hypospadias Foundation in Navi Mumbai, India

    Hello Dr A.K.Singal,

    My feedback from my baby’s operation at Hypospadias Foundation & MITR hospital in Navi Mumbai, Kharghar, sector 21:

    When I was told by  my baby’s doctor at the time of birth that he had hypospadias, we were very worried about it as it was the first time I had heard such case. Then I started searching about treatment and could not find any specialist locally in Afghanistan. Then we searched for a hypospadias specialist in India and could find the best pediatric urologist surgeon in Mumbai called Dr. A. K Singal in MITR hospital in Navi Mumbai although, I searched in Delhi and other states. Indeed what all I found it was just from Google net and I was really not sure what is going to be happen. Many questions arose into my mind that how the operation is going to be done? How many days my son would be admitted? And many other questions were there.

    Eventually, I got appointment with the MITR hospital via email with Mrs. Emily Paul who was very helpful and then we decided to go India for the treatment and finally reached the mentioned hospital on the 1st December, 2014. In the same day, Dr. A. K Singal visited my child and he impressed me when he talked about the operation and we decided to operate him after two days. Then on the 3rd December my baby’s operation was done.
    The operation was done in a very professional way and successfully with no issue. Then I realized that I took a really right decision and found the right hypospadias doctor. It was amazing that in the same day my baby did not have any pain and discharged from the hospital but I requested to remain for some more days for betterment of the child. 

    We (me and my wife) have very good memories from the Hypospadias Foundation and MITR Hospital especially from Dr A.K.Singal and now we know why he is a renowned Pediatric urologist and one of the best Hypospadias surgeons in India. The staff of Hypospadias Foundation based in MITR Hospital is good and the nurses were really outstanding. I thank them too.

    My little angel is doing very well after surgery with no issue and we overcome those all tensions and worries which we had in the past. I really appreciate Dr. A. K Singal and whole MITR team with professional communication and cooperation and your friendly environment.

    Considering that our son had hypospadias which can have lot of stigma, we request you to keep his name and identity confidential. We would be happy to interact with parents whose children are suffering from hypospadias any time offline.

    Thank you Dr. Singal.

    Best Regards,

    Mr M.H., Herat, Afghanistan

    Case description:

    Master F.H.,8 months old child underwent distal penile Hypospadias treatment at our hospital recently (Dec 2014). Father had written to us about a month back expressing a desire to travel for Afghanistan to India for the hypospadias repair surgery. They had sent us pictures of the penis via email and we could explain to them the type of anomaly and the surgery needed for the same. Fortunately, the father took very good and clear pictures as instructed and it was easy for us to understand even without examining the child. Ms Emily Paul and Dr Rajkumar coordinated the OPD appointments and then one fine day the baby was at our hospital in Navi Mumbai. We confirmed the hypospadias to be distal penile hypospadias and did the pre surgery checkup and fitness by a Pediatrician. We took up the baby for surgery on 03/12/2014 and surgery was done using Tubularised Incised plate urethroplasty (TIP repair) also called Snodgrass repair or Snodgrass urethroplasty. Originally described by Dr Warren Snodgrass, the TIP repair is one of the most reliable and common repairs done worldwide for distal and midpenile hypospadias in selected and suitable cases.

    The surgery was finished in one hour and F.H. was allowed feeds after 3 hours of surgery. He was at his playful best by evening and we planned to discharge the baby. Parents were very worried about taking him to a hotel and requested to stay in the hospital for another week till the dressing and the catheter were taken out. In normal circumstances, we discharge most of the hypospadias surgery kids by evening of surgery but here understanding the situation we allowed them to stay for a week. Finally the catheter and the dressing were removed in 5 days and the parents took the child to Pune with them. I saw them on 15th Dec 2014 once again before their final flight back home to Afghanistan from Delhi. He was doing very well and the penis had healed very nice with good cosmetic and functional outcome.

    Staff and nurses were very fond of master F.H. as he was a very happy baby and used to come to everyone’s arms easily and used to play with them. He used to be in my lap all the time. All of us here at MITR Hospital and Hypospadias Foundation wish him the very best in life. And we all miss him.

    About the Hypospadias Foundation & Dr A.K.Singal

    Hypospadias Foundation in Navi Mumbai, India is the world’s only organisation committed and dedicated to treatment and care of children having hypospadias. Over last 6 years children from all over India and from more than 15 countries have benefitted from care at Hypospadias Foundation.

    Dr A.K.Singal, Pediatric Urologist and Hypospadias Surgeon is an expert and renowned surgeon for management of children and adults with Hypospadias. Dr Singal and Dr Manish Dubey are close friends and together started Hypospadias Foundation in Nov 2008.

    Dr A.K.Singal during Hypospadias surgery

    Dr Singal can be contacted by filling up this form: Enquiry form for Hypospadias

    Or you can call up Dr Rajkumar (Dr Singal’s assistant) at +919821261448

    His clinic timings in Navi Mumbai, Thane and Mumbai are available here:

    Clinics and Timings for Dr Singal

    Hypospadias repair surgery videos by Dr A.K.Singal:

    Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

    Please fill all clinical details and upload pictures and clinical summaries (if available)

      Attach Documents (pdf | jpeg | mp4)
      (upload size upto 5mb)

      Letter from Pune: Family thanks Hypospadias Foundation for good results of a single stage urethroplasty for scrotal hypospadias

      Hello Dr. Singal,

      When we came to know our son is suffering from hypospadias, we being parents were
      really worried for him. There were several doubts and fears running in and out through our mind. We were very tensed and concerned regarding his hypospadias repair surgery, overall result and further treatment.
      We then visited many doctors in Pune but were unhappy and unsatisfied with their answers and process of treatment, until one day while surfing on internet we read about you and the hypospadias foundation run by you. Thumbs up for the great job you are doing by running this foundation and providing complete awareness among parents.
      For first time when you examined our son and the manner you explained the entire
      process of surgery and treatment, really raised positive hopes in us. Most of our doubts were cleared in the first meeting itself. We want to thank you from the bottom of our heart for undertaking our son’s surgery not only in positive way but also making it successful in the first stage. Due to your fair treatment and kind support we were able to cope with our son’s surgery and health. We really want all other parents as well whose children are suffering from hypospadias to undergo Hypospdias treatment at Hypospadias Foundation at MITR Hospital, Navi Mumbai and go back home smiling.

      As our son is a hypospadias patient, we want to keep his name and identity confidential. We are ready to share our experience and contact details with the parents whose children are suffering from hypospadias any time offline.

      Thanks,
      Mr. & Mrs. K,

      Pune

      These letters are priceless to us. As a hypospadias surgeon, I owe it to our team for excellent results and patient happiness. Surgery is often just one of the things which makes successes and miracles happen. It is the larger picture – the dedication, thought process, commitment and most importantly the love which the surgical team can give. I can safely say that beyond the surgeon’s hands and nurses injections there is something else which cures a patient. It is love and faith and it runs both ways. Mr and Mrs K came and saw us three months back and they came with full faith and commitment to get their son better. It is not easy to get a surgery for your young child. It is much more easier to get surgery done for yourself rather than your child. I really wish to express my gratitude to the parents and families who give their little ones in our hands trusting us to do the right thing for their child.

      Case summary for Master D.K.

      Master D.K. was born with scrotal hypospadias and was advised by the pediatrician to see a pediatric urologist or a pediatric surgeon for Hypospadias repair surgery at 1-2 years of age. After multiple consultations elsewhere, they finally came to see us at MITR Hospital & Hypospadias Foundation in Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai is just 2 hour’s drive from Pune so family thought of taking a second opinion from us.

      Examination of Master D.K. confirmed severe scrotal hypospadias with mild chordee. I counseled the family regarding the possibility of a single stage repair. I explained to them that our intent would be to repair the hypospadias in one stage but sometime 5-10% of the kids may need a second surgery if something doesn’t heal well after first surgery. D.K underwent hypospadias repair surgery in October 2014 using an Onlay Island Flap Urethroplasty. He recovered from surgery and anesthesia very fast and was walking around and eating normally the next day. Happy with his recovery from Hypospadias surgery, we discharged him the next day and he went home back to Pune the day after surgery. Dressing was removed after 5 days and urinary catheter a total of ten days after surgery. A follow-up visit after 2 weeks showed hypospadias repair site to be healing well and parents and we were both very happy to see. It is now almost two months after surgery and D.K is doing very well. I hope that he continues doing well though he will need follow-ups at three months, one year then at 5, 10,15 years of age as some minor issues can crop up later in some cases of severe hypospadias.

      As of now, it is time to rejoice and I can also breathe a sigh of relief. And to top up the happiness, I got this letter from the parents, which makes all the hard work so much worthwhile. Such letters make my work a pleasure and operation theatre a playground. My best wishes to the family for a happy future for the kid.

      About the Author:

      Dr A.K.Singal is a renowned Pediatric urologist and one of the best Hypospadias surgeons in India. He is the founder of Hypospadias Foundation based in MITR Hospital, Navi Mumbai and regularly does hypospadias repair surgeries in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

      To contact Dr Singal- pls fill up this form- Contact form

      Clinics and timings of Dr Singal

      Videos of Hypospadias Surgery by Dr A.K.Singal

      Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

      Please fill all clinical details and upload pictures and clinical summaries (if available)

        Attach Documents (pdf | jpeg | mp4)
        (upload size upto 5mb)

        Distal Penile Hypospadias in a child: Single stage repair surgery video using TIP urethroplasty (Snodgrass repair)

        Distal penile hypospadias is the most common type of hypospadias in children. The urethral opening is located on the underside of penis but in last 1/3 of the penis. While some of the distal hypospadias may have an associated bend in penis called Chordee, most of the distal hypospadias may not have a chordee. There are many types of hypospadias surgery techniques described and the hypospadias surgeon selects the type of repair depending on the anatomy.

        The key factors in deciding the repair are:

        1. Severity of Chordee
        2. Severity of hypospadias
        3. Quality of urethral plate
        4. Experience of the surgeon

        Snodgrass repair or Tubularised incised plate urethroplasty was described by Dr Warren Snodgrass in 1992 and relies on using the natural tissues of penis on the underside for making a new urinary passage. The basic concept is midline incision of the open urethra from the urinary opening till the head of penis. This expands the urethral plate and allows it rolled into a new urethral tube which can heal very well.

        The critical steps are:

        • Degloving of the penis: Incisions are marked preserving the urethral plate and all the penile skin is taken down to correct chordee. This step doesn’t harm the nerve and blood supply of penis as that runs deep inside the penis.
        • Artificial erection test: After applying a tourniquet, artificial erection test is done to check for any curvature (chordee). If there is no curvature, urethroplasty can be started.
        • Chordee correction: In most of the children with distal hypospadias, degloving alone releases the bands on underside of the penis and chordee gets corrected. In some children with hypospadias, chordee correction may be needed. This can be done by either putting a stitch – Tunica albuginea plication or by dividing the urethral plate. Urethral plate division is needed only in patients with severe chordee. But once the urethral plate is divided, TIP urethroplasty can’t be done, other types of repairs have to be planned.
        • Glans wings: Urethral plate is dissected into glans, creating glans wings on either side which are mobilized deep. Midline urethral plate incision (TIP incision) is given to expand the urethral plate and then urethra is closed with a fine absorbable suture such as PDS or vicryl to construct the new tube. The sutures are taken in a subepithelial fashion to invert the mucosa.
        • Second layer coverage: If there is good corpus spongiosum around urethral plate, it is mobilized for spongioplasty to provide security from urethral fistula. We also routinely use Dartos flap to cover the urethroplasty and prevent complications such as urethral fistula.
        • Glansplasty and skin coverage: Glans wings are closed with absorbable sutures and excess foreskin on the top is divided in midline and brought ventrally for complete skin coverage. Midline closure is achieved after excising excess skin so that a pleasing cosmetic outcome can be sought.
        • Dressing and catheter: Though lot surgeons use bulky dressings after hypospadias surgery, we use mostly a Tegaderm (transparent plastic wrap) followed by a soft gauze dressing. The catheter is tied to the glans stitch and allowed to drip urine into the diaper.

        Follow-up and care after hypospadias repair surgery with TIP urethroplasty:

        Most of the children are discharged by the evening of hypospadias surgery. Antibiotic syrup, pain killers and antispasmodic medicines are given for a week’s time. The parents are taught double diaper care and we call the children for follow-up after 5-7 days for removal of dressing and catheter at the same time. The hypospadias dressing is removed in clinic itself and the parents are advised to apply an antibiotic ointment on the penis for 2-3 weeks. Bath can be given as soon as the dressing is removed. We call for follow-up two weeks after catheter removal and after 3 months if everything is healing well.

        About the author:

        Dr A.K.Singal is a renowned Pediatric Urologist and Hypospadias Surgeon practicing in western india in area of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. He is counted as one of the best hypospadias expert surgeons in the world and every year manages more than 200 kids and adults with hypospadias. He started Hypospadias Foundation in 2008 and Hypospadias Foundation remains the world’s only organisation dedicated to children with Hypospadias. Children from more than 20 countries travel every year to India to consult for hypospadias treatment under his team’s care.

        Dr A.K.Singal during Hypospadias surgery

        He is available at the following clinics : Clinics and Timings for Dr A.K.Singal

        Watch video of Distal penile hypospadias repair surgery video by Dr A.K.Singal

        Watch video of Single stage repair surgery of severe hypospadias by Dr A.K.Singal

        Watch Video of repair of glanular hypospadias with chordee by Dr A.K.Singal

        To send an enquiry to Dr Singal’s team please fill up this form:

        Contact form for Hypospadias enquiry

        Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

        Please fill all clinical details and upload pictures and clinical summaries (if available)

          Attach Documents (pdf | jpeg | mp4)
          (upload size upto 5mb)

          Contact Us

          Call Now