Hypospadias Repair
Moving the urinary opening to the tip and straightening the penis.
What is Hypospadias Repair?
A reconstructive operation that builds a urinary passage out to the tip of the penis, corrects any downward curve, and reshapes the surrounding skin. The foreskin is normally used as the tissue for the repair, which is why circumcision must not be done beforehand.
Hospital stay
Usually 2 to 5 days.
Performed by
Dr. Pratheep Samraj
- Normal
- The problem
Why It Is Done
Surgery is advised in these situations. The decision is always made after examining your child, never from a description.
- So that urine comes from the tip in a single stream and the boy can stand to pass urine
- To straighten a downward curve that would otherwise become a problem in adult life
- For a normal appearance, which matters more to boys as they grow than parents expect
Before the Day
- Usually planned between 6 and 18 months of age
- The child must be well — a cold or fever on the day means postponing, which is disappointing but safer
- Nothing to eat or drink for the period the anaesthetist specifies
- Bring previous notes and any earlier scan reports
During the Operation
- General anaesthetic, given by an anaesthetist experienced with small children
- A caudal or nerve block is usually added so the child wakes comfortable
- The urethra is extended to the tip using local tissue, the curve corrected, and the skin closed
- A fine catheter or stent is left to drain urine while the repair heals
- Most single-stage repairs take one to two hours
Afterwards, and at Home
- Two to five days in hospital, largely determined by the drainage tube
- Swelling and bruising for one to two weeks is normal and settles
- Nappies are changed as usual; older boys avoid cycles and straddling toys for about three weeks
- Double nappies or a protective dressing may be used to keep the tube safe
What Can Go Wrong
- A fistula — a small leak along the repair — is the commonest, and is correctable with a smaller later operation
- Narrowing at the new opening, which may need stretching or revision
- Bleeding, infection or partial breakdown of the repair
- Marked hypospadias is more likely to need a second stage or a further procedure
- These are recognised parts of hypospadias surgery everywhere in the world, not signs that something went wrong
Every operation carries risk. These are listed openly because a parent consenting to surgery is entitled to know them — not because they are expected. The surgeon will go through which of them actually apply to your child.
Common Questions
If your question is not here, send it on WhatsApp and the hospital team will answer.
Dr. Pratheep Samraj
Consultant Paediatric & Neonatal Surgeon · Palliyadi, Kanyakumari
Super-specialist surgical care for newborns, infants and children, with expertise in paediatric urology, congenital anomalies, gastro-intestinal surgery and minimally invasive surgery.
Related Pages
Ask what your son’s repair actually involves before you consent to it.
How far back the opening sits changes the operation, the right age and the chance of needing a second stage. Bring him for an assessment and you will be told his specifics.
Consultation 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM · 24-hour laboratory & pharmacy
In an emergency — green vomiting in a baby, a groin swelling that will not go back, severe tummy pain, or a newborn not passing urine or meconium — come straight to the hospital or to your nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a reply to a message.