Do you know what is hypospadias in baby boys? We got you covered in this article we will learn about hypospadias in baby boys.
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What is Hypospadias in a Baby?
Hypospadias is a condition that happens in boys.
When a boy has hypospadias, the urethra does not enter at the tip of the penis, which is a birth defect. Boys with hypospadias experience abnormal urethra development around weeks 8 to 14 of pregnancy.
The abnormal hole may develop anywhere between the region immediately below the penis’s tip and the scrotum. There are different degrees of hypospadias; some cases are less severe than others.
Don’t worry, there is a hypospadias treatment to address this condition.
Hypospadias Types
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The type of hypospadias a boy develops depends on where the urethral opening is located:
- Subcoronal: The location of the urethral opening is near the penile head.
- The urethral opening is about midway down the shaft of the penis.
- Penoscrotal: The junction of the penis and scrotum is the location of the urethra’s entrance.
Symptoms of Hypospadias in Babies
The entrance to the urethra is located in hypospadias, which is on the bottom of the penis as opposed to close to its apex. The entrance to the urethra is frequently located inside the penile head.
Less frequently, the entrance can be found in the middle or close to the base of the penis. Rarely does the hole develop in or beneath the scrotum?
Before undergoing a hypospadias treatment, here are the symptoms and warnings of hypospadias are:
- The urethra opening somewhere other than the penile tip
- The penis is downwardly curving (chordee)
- The penis seems hooded because the foreskin only covers the top half of it.
- Abnormal spraying while urinating
The majority of the time, hypospadias is identified at birth. In addition to the meatus being positioned wrongly, this condition typically results in an underdeveloped foreskin.
As a result, a “dorsal hood” develops, revealing the tip of the penis. In other cases, the foreskin of certain neonates is abnormal, with the meatus situated where it shouldn’t be. Others could have an abnormal meatus that is covered by a thick foreskin.
In addition, approximately 8 out of 100 males with hypospadias still have some of their testes outside of the scrotum. However, this can be addressed through treatment.
Doctors will examine your kid’s penis during the newborn examination to determine whether your child has hypospadias. The location of the aperture is typically obvious. Your doctor will advise you to postpone circumcision and will refer you to a urologist.
Is hypospadias equivalent to a curved penis?
The two conditions are not equivalent. However, children with hypospadias can infrequently have chordee, or congenital penile curvature.
Boys with hypospadias occasionally have curved penises. They may need to sit down to pee and have erratic urine spraying problems.
In certain situations, the testicle has not fully retracted into the scrotum. If left untreated, hypospadias can lead to problems later in life, such as difficulty engaging in sexual activity or urinating while standing.
Hypospadias Causes and Risk Factors
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Hypospadias in most newborns has unidentified reasons. Typically, it is believed that a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as the mother’s environment, nutrition, lifestyle, and any medications she takes while pregnant, cause hypospadias.
According to Web MD, some of the potential causes include:
- Genetics. The likelihood rises if the boy’s father or brother also carries it. It has also been connected to a few hereditary syndromes.
- Fertility treatments. It’s possible that the mother received hormone treatment or took medicine to help with conception.
- Age and weight of the mother. A mother’s risk of having a child with hypospadias increases if she had diabetes before getting pregnant, is overweight and is over 35.
- Tobacco use or pesticide exposure
- Premature birth
Hypospadias Treatment
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Hypospadias will be managed according to the type of deformity he has. Treatment for hypospadias often involves surgery to address the issue.
If surgery is necessary, it is frequently carried out when the boy is between 3 and 18 months old. Periodically, surgery may be carried out in stages.
Following are the several types of hypospadias repair (according to Cleveland Clinic):
- Orthoplasty – Straightening of the penis
- Urethroplasty – Rebuilding the urethra
- Meatoplasty/glanuloplasty – Creating a new opening and reconstructing the head of the penis
- Scrotoplasty – Repair of the scrotum
- Skin coverage – Getting enough skin grafts to complete all hypospadias repairs
Hypospadias surgery steps
- Changing the shaft
- Constructing the urinary canal
- Putting the meatus on top of the penis
- Foreskin repair or circumcision
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Hypospadias Surgery Side Effects
Some of the most frequent issues following a repair are:
- Urine leakage after hypospadias surgery – incontinence or a lack of urine flow when urinating
- either side of the body, the lower back, or a testicle
- attempting to withstand the desire to urinate
- Hard or clumpy penis tissue
- Unpleasant sex
- Urinary tract infections
Hypospadias treatment-related problems could include:
- Minimal blood flow
- A buildup of scar tissue
- Breakdown of tissues used in hypospadias treatment
- Failing to effectively and fully integrate the original tissue with the reconstructed tissue
Moreover, the doctor may perform the following:
- Review any reports from previous repairs.
- Prior to performing repairs, locate the penile entrance.
- Ask about the existence, strength, and direction of any pee spraying or leaking.
- Determine the extent of the penis curve while it is erect
- If necessary, carry a cystoscopy or an imaging test known as a urethrogram to look for any obstruction.
Image Source: iStock
This article was written by Margaux Dolores and republished with permission from theAsianparent Philippines.
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