Hypospadias Treatment in Dubai
Hypospadias is classified as an anomaly that occurs when a newborn’s urethra opens up at the bottom of his penis. Yugen Care also has advanced hypospadias treatment in Dubai, as well as other techniques that can aid in the child’s growth. Our urology doctors in Dubai are well-trained to offer every aspect of treatment, including diagnosis, surgery, and follow-up care. Patients’ safety, comfort, and health in the long term are essential to us. At Yugen Care, we strive to deliver high-quality and empathetic care to treat hypospadias successfully and improve our patient’s quality of life.
Hypospadias is a congenital condition in which the meatus isn’t at the tip of the penis. Healthcare providers aren’t sure what causes it. Other symptoms include a curved penis and underdeveloped foreskin. It also may cause the pee stream to spray. A provider can diagnose it shortly after birth. Hypospadias usually requires surgery.
What is hypospadias?
Hypospadias is a condition where the urethra and foreskin don’t develop properly in a baby’s penis. The urethra is the tube that carries urine and semen (ejaculate) through the penis and outside of the body. The foreskin is the skin that normally covers the head of the penis completely in uncircumcised people.
Early in a fetus’s development, the urethra starts as an open channel. The channel closes to form a complete tube as a fetus develops before birth. The meatus is the opening at the end of the urethra. It’s usually in the head of or at the tip of the penis. It’s where semen and pee exit the body.
In a baby with hypospadias, the urethral tube doesn’t close all the way, causing the meatus to form below the tip of the penis. It may exist anywhere along the shaft of the penis, in the scrotum or even lower, near the butthole (anus). The scrotum is the pouch of skin behind the penis that usually holds the testicles.
Hypospadias is a congenital condition, which means it’s present at birth. It can range from mild to severe. Without treatment, problems can develop later in life, including difficulty peeing and difficulties having sexual intercourse.
Is hypospadias a serious problem?
Hypospadias can range from very mild to severe. A surgeon may not need to repair mild cases. But in most cases, hypospadias requires surgery.
What are the types of hypospadias?
Healthcare provides categorize the type of hypospadias by where the urethra opens:
- Glanular (balanic). Glanular hypospadias is when the meatus or urethral opening is in the head of the penis, but not all the way at the tip. It’s the mildest type of hypospadias.
- Coronal hypospadias is the most common form of hypospadias. It’s when the meatus is just below the head of the penis or where the head of the penis meets the shaft.
- Midshaft hypospadias occurs halfway down the penis shaft.
- Penoscrotal hypospadias occurs where the penis and scrotum meet.
- Scrotal/Perineal. Scrotal and perineal hypospadias are the most severe forms of hypospadias. The urethra opens on or below the scrotum.
How common is hypospadias?
Hypospadias is common. It occurs in approximately 1 of every 150 to 300 children assigned male at birth (AMAB). It’s the second-most common congenital condition that affects children AMAB, behind undescended testicles. The milder forms happen more often than the severe forms.
The rate of hypospadias seems to be increasing in Western cultures. Researchers suspect there may be a link between rising rates of hypospadias and the increased use of certain chemicals, pollutants and pesticides.
Symptoms and Causes
What are the symptoms of hypospadias?
The main symptom of hypospadias is that the meatus isn’t at the tip of the penis. Other hypospadias symptoms may include:
- Problems urinating. Urine doesn’t spray in a straight stream. It may spray to the sides or down. Urinating may also irritate tissue in the surrounding area and cause discomfort.
- Underdeveloped foreskin. The foreskin only covers part of the penis. Don’t circumcise your child if they have an underdeveloped foreskin. A healthcare provider may use a small piece of the underdeveloped foreskin during surgical treatment.
- Chordee (congenital curved penis). The penis curves downward.
- Undescended testicles. One or both testicles don’t descend into the scrotum.
Is hypospadias the same as chordee?
No, hypospadias and chordee aren’t the same condition. But babies with hypospadias can sometimes have a chordee.
What causes hypospadias?
Healthcare providers and medical researchers don’t know exactly what causes hypospadias. Certain chemicals may increase the risk of hypospadias. There may also be a genetic link. A baby is more likely to have hypospadias if they have a biological relative (father or brother) who also had hypospadias.
Hypospadias can happen in male babies without any other medical problem. But providers often see it with other birth defects and congenital problems.
Hypospadias occurs during early pregnancy. The penis starts to develop around the eighth week of pregnancy. Hypospadias occurs between weeks nine and 12.
Who does hypospadias affect?
Certain factors in the birthing parent (mother) may increase the risk of a baby having hypospadias. These include:
- A body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 (has obesity).
- A birthing parent who’s older than 35 while pregnant (advanced maternal age).
- Using fertility treatment to get pregnant. This may be because of the use of progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone healthcare providers use during fertility treatments to support the early stages of pregnancy.
- Using other hormones before or during pregnancy.
- Chemical or pesticide exposure.
- Smoking while pregnant.
Can I have a baby if I have hypospadias?
You may have difficulty getting pregnant with a partner through sexual intercourse if you have a more severe form of hypospadias or have a very bent penis due to hypospadias. Without treatment, hypospadias can create problems with the penis being able to enter the vagina and semen reaching the inside of the vagina. This can affect your ability to have biological children through sex and could result in male infertility.
Can you urinate with hypospadias?
You can urinate with hypospadias, but it may be difficult to stand and urinate. You may need to sit down so you don’t spray urine outside of the toilet.
FAQ
Diagnosis and Tests
How is hypospadias diagnosed?
Hypospadias is usually easy to diagnose because the meatus isn’t at the tip of the penis. Often, the foreskin doesn’t fully form or cover the underside of the penis as it normally should. Sometimes, the abnormal foreskin looks like a “hood” on the back of the penis. The penis may have a downward curve or bend. In more severe forms, the penis may be very small or short, and the scrotum may look like it’s separated into two halves.Healthcare providers usually diagnose hypospadias shortly after birth. Checking for hypospadias is part of the routine newborn physical examination that a pediatrician performs. Sometimes, providers don’t catch hypospadias until they circumcise the baby. If your healthcare provider diagnoses hypospadias, they won’t continue the circumcision.
Management and Treatment
How is hypospadias treated?
Surgery (hypospadias repair) can treat hypospadias. Most pediatric urologists will perform hypospadias repair when your child is between 6 and 12 months old. At that age, it’s easy to care for the surgery site after the procedure. It’s also safer for your child to have general anesthesia.
Surgery is usually an outpatient procedure (meaning your baby will go home the same day) and may take several hours to perform. Sometimes, healthcare providers must treat hypospadias in separate stages, especially if the hypospadias is more severe.
During hypospadias repair, will:
- Straighten the penis and correct any curvature.
- Reconstruct the urethra to complete the “tube.” This will create a urethral opening near the tip of the penis.
- Reconstruct the remaining penis skin and perform a circumcision.
- Sometimes, a provider will insert a temporary Foley catheter and leave it in place while the urethra and penis heal. A provider will remove the catheter at a follow-up appointment, usually one to two weeks after the surgery.
What are the complications or side effects of hypospadias repair?
All types of surgery come with some risks, including:
- Anesthesia risks.
- Scarring or abnormal healing.
Specific hypospadias repair risks include:
- Urethro-cutaneous fistula. A urethro-cutaneous fistula is a hole that forms between the urethra and the outer skin of the penis. This causes urine to exit the body at the wrong location.
- Urethral stricture. A urethral stricture is when scarring causes the urethra to narrow. It can happen at the new meatus or anywhere in the repaired urethra. This can make it difficult to pee and create pressure on the bladder, kidneys, prostate and testicles. It can also lead to a pee stream that sprays or shoots in an abnormal direction.
- Urethral diverticulum. A urethral diverticulum is when the urethra widens (dilates) and stretches out near the area of the repair. Pee may gather in the stretched-out part, causing dribbling and/or urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- Recurrent curvature. Sometimes after a hypospadias repair, the penis may curve again over time.
How soon after treatment will my child feel better?
Recovery times may vary. Most children make a full recovery about six to eight weeks after a hypospadias repair. A healthcare provider will give you prescription medications to treat pain and prevent infection after surgery.