Hypospadias Archives - Hypospadias Foundation

May 05 2024

What are the factors influencing success of hypospadias surgery?

Successful hypospadias surgery is a corrective procedure that aims to create a urinary passage with opening at the tip of the penis. The final cosmetic result is such that the child or adult can pass urine in a single straight stream without any pain or discomfort. Any curvature of the penis (chordee) is also corrected during the hypospadias surgery, and this is important for future sexual function.

Most boys who undergo hypospadias repair in early childhood before 5 years have minimal recollection of hospital stay and surgery. The repairs are typically durable and hold up well throughout puberty and adulthood. The success rates vary depending on the severity of the condition, but most studies report a success rate of over 90% for distal hypospadias (mild cases) and 80% for more proximal cases. At hypospadias foundation, we are dedicated in treating children and adults with hypospadias for last 15 years, hence our success rates are more than 95% for mild, severe and redo hypospadias in children and in adults making us a leading centre for hypospadias repair in India and worldwide. Here are some factors that contribute to a successful hypospadias surgery:

Surgeon’s experience : Hypospadias surgery is a specialized procedure, and the success rate is higher when surgery is performed by a surgeon who has experience with this type of surgery. A skilled surgeon with experience in hypospadias repair can create a more natural-looking penis, which can boost your child’s confidence and self-esteem in the long run. Hence a surgeon who performs more than 50 surgeries per year has better success compared to centres which perform only very few per year. At hypospadias foundation we currently perform almost 250 hypospadias correction surgeries every year.
Severity of hypospadias: Generally, milder forms of hypospadias have a higher success rate than more severe forms. Severe hypospadias is usually associated with moderate to severe chordee and mostly needs a staged repair. The risk of complications is also higher in severe hypospadias.
Age at surgery: Hypospadias surgery is typically performed between 6 to 18 months of age or between 3-5 years of age. The results after hypospadias surgeries are excellent in childhood and it also ensures proper development of the penis. Surgery in adulthood is associated with slow healing due to decreased collagen production and decreased cell turnover with age which in turn leads to higher risk of complications. Rate of infections and breakdown is also more in adult hypospadias repairs.
General health of the child: We routinely check hemoglobin, overall growth & wellness of the child, urine for any infection before surgery. Children who are underweight, not growing well, have added anomalies or feeding issues, have higher rates of complications.

During and following hypospadias repair surgery, there are several things that can be done to improve the chances of a successful outcome :

During the surgery :

Choosing the right technique: There are several different surgical techniques used to repair hypospadias. The best technique for a particular child or adult will depend on the severity of the hypospadias and the surgeon’s experience. A hypospadias surgeon should choose the best technique after considering all the factors during the surgery. With more experience, a skilled surgeon can choose a technique which will give good results in a particular case. Experience allows surgeons to anticipate potential problems during surgery and adapt their approach accordingly. They can recognize anatomical variations and make real-time decisions to avoid complications.
Tissue handling: Most of the good results in hypospadias surgeries are attributed to use of right instruments, technique and how gently the surgeon handles the tissues. A skilled surgeon handling a hypospadias surgery translates to better handling of tissues, minimizing blood loss, and precise suturing, all reducing potential complications.

Minimizing the duration of surgery: The longer the duration of surgery the higher the risk of tissue edema and impaired healing. The tourniquet is tied at the base of the penis for some steps to avoid bleeding during the surgery. If the tourniquet time is longer than 30 minutes, then there may be risk of tissue injury and healing may be slower in these cases.
Breathable dressing after surgery: Tight compression dressing can cause pressure on the new urinary passage hence light dressing is advised after hypospadias surgery.
Preventing infection: All aseptic technique and precautions should be followed during the surgery to prevent surgical site infection. Also, a pre-surgery antibiotic should be given to prevent infections.

After surgery :

Dressing care: Hypospadias dressing can get soiled with stools after surgery. Whenever hypospadias dressing gets dirty it must be changed. Soiled dressing is a nidus for infection. Parents must be strictly instructed to keep a close watch and report to the hospital in case of soiled dressing.
Identifying infection at early stages: Fever with foul smelling dressing or pus discharge from within the dressing are signs of wound infection. When present, the dressing must be changed immediately along with administration of intravenous antibiotics to control the infection.
Using prescribed medications as directed: Your doctor will prescribe medicines such as oral antibiotics, analgesics, anti spasmodics, multivitamins etc which will prevent infection at the operated site, give relief from post operative pain and help in healing.
Wound care after dressing and catheter removal: After dressing and catheter removal, hot water bath is advised three times a day. Local antibiotic ointment is applied at the operated site to facilitate healing. Failing to follow these may lead to infection at the operated site, in turn affecting the surgical results.
Feeding & general health: Make sure that the child is taking a nutritious diet, is pain free and happy in the recovery phase. Junk food should be avoided. Constipation should also be prevented by good hydration, fibre rich foods and if need be laxative syrups.

Experienced surgeons would have likely encountered various complications of hypospadias before. This knowledge allows them to identify early warning signs and take corrective measures swiftly, minimizing the severity of complications.

If you are considering hypospadias surgery for your child, it is important to discuss the risks and benefits with a hypospadias specialist. Best hypospadias surgeon is the one who has abundant experience in this field and have likely interacted with many families dealing with hypospadias. This experience allows him/ her to communicate complex medical information clearly and answer your questions patiently, easing your anxieties. An experienced surgeon doesn’t guarantee zero complications, but using proper protocols significantly reduces the risk. Open communication is the key. Discuss your concerns about complications with the surgeon and ask questions openly. By finding a skilled and experienced hypospadias surgeon and openly discussing potential complications, you can ensure best outcome for your child’s hypospadias surgery.

If you are looking for a centre with excellence in hypospadias and dedicated in hypospadias treatment and care, then hypospadias foundation at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai would be one of the choices. We at hypospadias foundation specialize in hypospadias surgery, including complex and redo cases. We recognise the emotional impact of hypospadias and offer counselling support for families. If your child or someone you know is suffering from hypospadias, then do write to us or visit us so that we can help you get the best hypospadias treatment.

Contacting the Hypospadias Foundation:

Website: https://www.hypospadiasfoundation.com/
Email: hypospadiasfoundationindia@gmail.com
Phone:
- +916262840940
- +916262690790
- +919324180553( whatsapp and teleconsult )

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February 02 2024

Hypospadias and undescended testis: Diagnosis, surgery and treatment plan

Hypospadias and undescended testis (also called cryptorchidism) are both very common clinical problems in young children. While hypospadias occurs in 1/150 boys, undescended testis is even more common. But the treatment for both of them is different.

Undescended testis: What is the usual treatment plan?

When we see a newborn child with undescended testis, we often wait before advising surgery as nearly 60% of the testis which are undescended at birth may come down to a normal scrotal location by 6 months of age. This is even more true if the testis has already come out of the tummy and can be felt by the doctor during the examination in the OPD (palpable undescended testis). For the testis which are higher up in abdomen (intra-abdominal undescended testis) chances of coming down spontaneously are quite less but possible.

Hypospadias: What is the usual treatment?

Hypospadias on the other side, almost always requires surgical correction. And the right age for doing the hypospadias surgery is between 6-18 months of age. We typically advise the hypospadias repair surgery to be scheduled around 9-10 months of age. For hypospadias without chordee, it is usually a single stage surgery while for severe hypospadias or severe chordee, we choose to do a two-stage hypospadias repair procedure.

Both hypospadias and undescended testis occurring together- what does it mean?

When both hypospadias and undescended testis occur together, the diagnosis and treatment is much more complex. The most important thing to be done for these children is to investigate them for disorder of sex development or DSD. DSD is present in upto 15% of children who have both hypospadias and undescended testis. If the hypospadias is severe like scrotal or perineal hypospadias and the child has both sided undescended testis, the chances of a DSD condition go upto 50%.

So, what tests we do when we see a child with both hypospadias and undescended testis?

Any child who has hypospadias and undescended testis, should be investigated for a disorder of sex development. We are worried about conditions like mixed gonadal dysgenesis or true hermaphroditism or even severe variety of congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Typical tests to rule out such conditions include:

Ultrasonogram to check for any abnormal organs inside, status of gonads.
Karyotype – to check for chromosomal abnormalities.
Hormonal evaluation – Genitogram or cystoscopy: some of these children if they have DSD also may have remnants of vagina or utricular diverticulum which can be seen only on a genitogram or a cystoscopy. MRI scan: may be needed in selected cases to rule out hemiuterus or fallopian tube.

Treatment plan for hypospadias and undescended testis

As outlined above, the first thing to do is to find out if the child has a DSD. If there is DSD, then we involve a pediatric endocrinologist and then consider assigning the gender and surgical plan starts from there.

If there is no DSD, then we prefer to do the hypospadias repair and undescended testis surgery together at around 9-10 months of age. If the undescended testis is palpable, it can be brought down in one stage via a short open surgery. If the testis is intra-abdominal then child will need a laparoscopic single or staged orchiopexy. For hypospadias, if there is no chordee or mild chordee, then we can do the orchiopexy and single stage hypospadias repair together. If hypospadias is very severe or there is severe chordee then we would need to plan for a two-stage hypospadias repair.

Summary: If your child has hypospadias and undescended testis, you must visit a qualified pediatric urologist and a hypospadias specialist. Before any surgery, a full evaluation has to be done as it has repercussions for future sexual function and fertility. But the good thing is that hypospadias and undescended testis repairs can be combined to help child get good result from both in one hospital stay whenever possible.

At Hypospadias Foundation India, we have treated thousands of children with hypospadias and some of them also had a undescended testis. A thorough evaluation and a plan for management for both was given and it worked very well for these children. Dr A.K.Singal and Dr Ashwitha Shenoy are rated as the best hypospadias surgeons in India. If you need an opinion or consult us for your child, please do write to us at hypospadiasfoundationindia@gmail.com or fill up this contact form.

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November 11 2023

Guide to choose the best hypospadias surgeon for your child

Hypospadias is a common congenital anomaly diagnosed at birth. Most of the children will need repair surgery for hypospadias and this surgery should be done by 18 months of age in a child who is born full term and is otherwise healthy. The hypospadias surgery, when done, should be carried out by an expert hypospadias surgeon. The hypospadias surgeon should be trained in hypospadias surgeries and have extensive experience and dedication to hypospadias-related work.

As a parent of a child with hypospadias, you may be confused about how to choose the best hypospadias surgeon. Any pediatric urologist or pediatric surgeon can operate on a child with hypospadias, but every surgeon may not get the desired and best post-surgery results. Here are a few tips that will help you shortlist the best hypospadias surgeon for your child.

Ask your pediatrician: Pediatricians and pediatric urologists or surgeons often know each other well and work closely. Pediatricians are the first doctors to diagnose hypospadias and they can guide you to an experienced hypospadias surgeon who does lot of such surgeries and has good results for hypospadias surgery. Pediatricians often also get to see the children post-surgery and hence know the outcomes for each surgeon. Ask your pediatrician to guide you to seek the best hypospadias surgeon for your child.
Connect with parents of children with hypospadias: A parent of a child with hypospadias goes through a great deal of experience when it comes to hypospadias surgery. From pre-surgery OPD visits to post-surgery care, they become experts on how to manage their child in the hospital and after surgery. New parents can discuss with other parents whose child has already completed hypospadias repair and get an honest opinion regarding the hypospadias surgeon, experience in the hospital, and their overall experience. This will help other parents gain confidence and decide what’s best for their child.
Search online for the best centres of expertise for Hypospadias Surgery: Most of the good centres for hypospadias treatment have a comprehensive website and a knowledge centre. Key things to look online are- qualification of the hypospadias doctor, years of experience, kind of cases they have managed, their success stories, their online reviews, the surgery videos, their publications and whether they are so good that they are training other surgeons. In the best hypospadias centres, their website will have enough information on all these points.
Visit your hypospadias surgeon in the OPD: Make sure you visit your hypospadias surgeon or connect with them online for a hypospadias consultation at least once before you plan the surgery. In the Outpatient department (OPD) of a hypospadias surgeon you will find many other children with hypospadias which indicates hypospadias surgery is performed regularly at that hospital. Ask your hypospadias surgeon about the cases done so far, the success rate and similar cases done in the past which will help you gain confidence in the surgeon and take a decision if he/she is the right surgeon for your child.
Success rate of hypospadias repair surgery: Every surgery has its own set of complications but when it comes to hypospadias the complication rates vary widely at various centers. The best hypospadias surgeon should have a success rate of more than 90% with a complication rate of under 10%. When you visit your hypospadias surgeon do ask them about the success rate of surgery at their center.
Expertise in managing complex hypospadias: Complex hypospadias such as perineal, scrotal hypospadias and redo hypospadias (hypospadias after multiple previous failed attempts) need to be managed very differently. If your child has such a hypospadias, make sure that you ask your hypospadias surgeon about their experience in managing such cases and the technique which is going to be done in your child so that you are prepared for the post-surgery period. An experienced hypospadias surgeon will be well versed in managing complex cases as well as primary ones.

The first surgery is the best chance for a complete cure from hypospadias. Once the first surgery fails, subsequent surgeries become difficult. Hence, it is important that you do full research and choose wisely. Choosing the right hypospadias surgeon is not an easy decision for any parent. Every parent wants the best surgeon for their child.

At hypospadias foundation, we treat more than 200 children and adults every year with hypospadias. Our dedication and expertise in hypospadias makes us one of the leading centers for hypospadias repair in the world. Do not hesitate to write to us or visit us for more information on our expert hypospadias surgeons. We will be happy to offer a second opinion or help you with understanding hypospadias treatment for your child or yourself (adult hypospadias)

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October 10 2023

Typical worries in parents of boys with hypospadias

Hypospadias though common is still unknown to the general population. When a parent finds out that their child has a genital abnormality (hypospadias) they get very worried thinking of the child’s future, which often leads to heightened parental worries. Due to limited resources which are available in the online platform, parents do not get a clear idea when it comes to hypospadias. This blog is directed to parents who have children with hypospadias, to ease their concern and improve the knowledge surrounding hypospadias and parental worries.

Is surgery needed for Hypospadias? Surgery is required in hypospadias to correct the chordee, to create a urinary passage and bring the opening to the tip of the penis. The repair can be staged or single stage depending on the degree of chordee (downward bent of the penis) and severity of hypospadias. The risk of complications following surgery at our centre is less than 5%. The most common complications which we encounter are wound infection, fistula formation, diverticulum formation and meatal stenosis. An additional surgery may be required in some of these complications. Following hypospadias surgery, the cosmetic result will be similar to a circumcised penis. The meatus will be at the tip on the glans and the child would be able to pass urine in a single straight stream.
Anaesthesia during hypospadias surgery: Hypospadias surgeries are done under general anaesthesia. It is important that besides a pediatric urologist, a pediatric anesthesiologist doctor is available to give anesthesia safely to children. Right from dosage of medications to managing airway is very different in children when compared to adults. Hence, at Hypospadias Foundation we have 3 skilled pediatric anesthesia experts who give anesthesia for hypospadias surgery. In addition to general anaesthesia the anaesthetist will also give an injection in the lower spine (caudal anaesthesia) which gives good pain relief to children for 12 hours after the surgery. Pain relief is our priority after surgery so that children can be comfortable after surgery and don’t remember hospitalisation as a painful episode. Besides caudal anaesthesia(during the surgery), we provide adequate pain relief with analgesics for a few days post-surgery.
Pain after hypospadias surgery: Besides common surgical pain, which is easily manageable with pain killer medicines, two main reasons why children can develop pain in the post operative period are either due to bladder spasms or erections. Bladder spasms are controlled by a tablet oxybutynin which is started after the surgery and is continued till the catheter removal. Erection in the penis mainly occurs during early morning hours but can occur anytime in the day. Mostly the pain which occurs during erection is also managed well by the painkillers. The pain decreases significantly once the dressing and catheter are removed. However, penis continues to be sensitive for 2-3 weeks after the hypospadias repair surgery.
Infertility in hypospadias: Hypospadias can cause male infertility due to various reasons. They may be due to abnormal location of the meatus, presence of chordee and low semen count. The altered opening of the urethra can cause problems in ejaculation, hence causing infertility. Presence of chordee can make sexual intercourse difficult or painful. Presence of an associated undescended testis may be associated with a low sperm count. We need to understand that not all men with hypospadias will have fertility problems. The severity of hypospadias and the success of surgical repair will ultimately decide if they will be able to father a child. Hence in men with hypospadias suffering from infertility they need to get in touch with a hypospadias surgeon because getting the hypospadias repaired will increase their chances of having children.
Risk of hypospadias in future generation: The risk of hypospadias in future generations is influenced by a number of factors such as genetic and environmental factors. Some studies suggest that the risk of hypospadias may be increasing. The prevalence of hypospadias in the United states has increased by 10% from 1970 and 2000 as per the study published in the journal Nature in 2011. Hypospadias is a condition that can be inherited from the parents. If the father has hypospadias, then the risk of developing hypospadias in future generations will be 5-10%. Similarly, if first child has hypospadias, the risk in second boy is almost 5%.
Cost of surgery and insurance coverage/cashless/mediclaim: Hypospadias being a penis birth defect is classified as an external birth defect which can be easily diagnosed as soon as the baby is born. Hence, if parents take an insurance policy after the baby is born, hypospadias surgery treatment costs as cashless Mediclaim are not covered by most of the insurance companies in India atleast while in USA, UK it is covered under insurance benefits. The situation is different for some of the corporate insurance group policy holders. Some big corporates issue very employee friendly mediclaim policies which cover all medical and surgical treatments for the employees and their families. Such mediclaim policies may cover all pre-existing as well as birth defects for their employees and hence hypospadias repair procedure may be covered by the insurance companies in these circumstances.

At Hypospadias foundation, we see almost 500 children and adults with hypospadias every year. The counselling in clinic, before surgery and after surgery focussing on making the families and patients comfortable, increasing their knowledge, and solving their queries regarding Hypospadias and parental worries. While there may be information available with pediatricians or on google, it is always better to consult a specialist hypospadias surgeon to have genuine answers to all the questions.

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Category Archives: Hypospadias

Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation