What Is The Effective Treatment Of Hypospadias For Babies?

Hypospadias disease is an inborn abnormality of the urethra that affects 1 in 300 baby boys worldwide. According to research, there has been an increase in this medical condition due to environmental pollution as the suspected cause of hypospadias. The cause of the majority of hypospadias cases, though, remains unknown. There are some risk factors associated with it. With effective treatment of hypospadias, babies can get rid of this medical condition which may result in further complications if they remain untreated.  

What is called Hypospadias?

Hypospadias is a congenital disability in baby boys in which the tube opening that carries urine develops abnormally. In this condition, the opening occurs below the end of the penis to the scrotum. But it usually develops on the underside of the penis.

Hypospadias surgery prevents medical issues later in life, such as having to sit to pass urine or difficulties during intercourse. A child with hypospadias may also have chordee or congenital penile curvature and penoscrotal transposition, a condition in which the scrotum forms above the penis. Effective treatment for hypospadias is also needed to correct these conditions.

Effect of hypospadias on the penis

During the baby’s development, the urethra starts to form an opening channel. This tube closes with the growth of the fetus before birth. The opening of the urethra is called the meatus. It usually is present at the tip of the penis and carries sperm and urine out of the body.

However, in a baby with hypospadias, the meatus forms in a different location than usual. There are different degrees of hypospadias according to their severity.

Types of hypospadias

The type of hypospadias depends on the location of the opening of the urethra, such as:

• Subcoronal hypospadias, where the opening of the urethra is located near the head of the penis.
• Midshaft hypospadias, in which the opening of the urethra forms along the shaft of the penis.
• Penoscrotal hypospadias, where the opening of the urethra develops where the scrotum and penis meet.

Symptoms of hypospadias

• Opening of the urethra at other locations than the tip of the penis
• Twisting or bending of the penis, especially when it is erect
• Penis half-covered with foreskin
• Abnormal urination
• Undescended testes (about 10% of cases)

Causes and risk factors of hypospadias

The causes of hypospadias in most cases are unknown. Most of the time, hypospadias is thought to be caused by genetic factors and some other factors, such as the medicines the mother consumes or substances she comes in contact with during pregnancy or environmental factors, such as pollution.

According to researchers, some factors that are associated with the risk of baby boys born with hypospadias are:

• Age and weight of the mother
• Exposure of mother to certain chemicals during pregnancy
• Fertility treatments
• Some hormones
• Family history
• Babies with low birth weight
• Twin or triplet pregnancies
• Maternal smoking

Diagnosis of hypospadias

Doctors diagnose hypospadias at the time of the baby’s birth as it is part of routine newborn examination after birth. Hypospadias is easy to notice: the opening of the urethra is in the wrong place, and the foreskin is not correctly formed, which exposes the tip of the penis. 

After detecting hypospadias, the pediatrician refers the patient to a pediatric urologist for treatment. The most effective treatment of hypospadias is a surgical repair.

Treatment of hypospadias

Some types of hypospadias are minor, and surgery is unnecessary. However, the effective treatment of hypospadias requires surgery to correct the position of the urethral opening and straighten the shaft of the penis if necessary. If the symptoms of hypospadias include, chordee surgery is the best course of treatment. The best chordee surgery in Pakistan resolves the issues related to the condition.

Pediatric urologists also observe penile torsion in infants with hypospadias. In such cases, pediatric urologists recommend penile torsion surgery; baby boys with this condition are treated when they are between six to 12 months old. Because at this age, it is easier for the parents to care for the surgical site after the procedure and safer for the child to have anesthesia. An experienced pediatric urologist will assess the severity of the condition and devise a plan accordingly.

Surgery for hypospadias repair

The hypospadias surgery aims to straighten the penis with the urethra located in the right place, at the tip of the penis. Pediatric urologists suggest not circumcising babies with hypospadias because the surgeon may use the uncircumcised foreskin in the repair during hypospadias surgery.

In this surgical procedure, the urologists straighten the penis, reconstruct the foreskin, construct a new urethra, and position the urethra at the right place, at the tip of the penis.

Occasionally, the child needs two surgeries to fix the urethra and straighten the penis. But most of the time, the surgeons do this in one surgery. The baby remains under general anesthesia during the surgical procedure and feels no pain. After the surgery, the child can go home on the same day.

Care after the surgery

Usually, the catheter stays in for a few days or up to two weeks. The healthcare providers will prescribe antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection and pain medication to relieve discomfort.

The health care providers also give instructions to care for the baby during recovery. Such as how to bathe the child and tend to the bandage. They also tell some signs to recognize any infection or complication.  

For a quick recovery, follow the instructions closely and monitor the baby’s recovery and surgery site. You may also notice some bruising and swelling, but it will go away in a few weeks. It will take a few months to heal.

Hypospadias surgery at ALSA

For the effective treatment of hypospadias, an expert pediatric urologist is the best person to consult with. At ALSA Pakistan, we have advanced and sterile equipment, a comfortable environment, and qualified staff with years of experience in this field. We offer an affordable hypospadias surgery cost in Pakistan and provide the best treatment to your child. We also have the best hypospadias surgeon in Pakistan, who uses advanced medical technology and corrects mild to severe cases of hypospadias. Furthermore, we aim to provide affordable care options to everybody that reaches us without compromising the quality of care.